Persona: World of dreams
by Parklo5
Summary: After losing her mom, 16 years old Keiko Nasura has to live with her father. Yumeto city is known for a beautiful waterfall, but no one expected that it can lead to whole new world.
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning

_March 16th, 3:29 P.M_

 _Moonlight Bridge, Tatsumi Port Island_

Keiko was coming home with her mother by a car. At first it didn't seem like any fight is going to start, but for 10 years old girl, it was no problem to say something controversial and start an argument. This time.. Tadao Nasura, Keiko's father. He and Keiko's wife broke up when she was only 1 year old, and when Keiko was asking about him, her mother was just saying that she had to go away with her from him, because of how much he was drinking and cheating on her. But this time, Keiko had a clue: a photo.

A middle-aged man with brown short hair was rocking a child in his hands, while Keiko's mother was right next to him. While Yuki Nasura was looking at the camera, Tadao was looking only at little Keiko, smiling warmly. This made a 10 years old girl curious - why her _drunk and cheating_ father could actually love her. She decided to ask her mother about that. But it turned into a row.

"And remember - I don't want to hear any questions like that from you anymore!" Yuki said while driving the car, slowly making their way to the Moonlight Bridge.

"B-but.. m-mum.. the.. pho-" Keiko couldn't end, as her mother started to yell at her.

"Didn't I tell you already?! I. Don't. Want. To. Hear questions like these anymore!" Her mother yelled.

" _Why.._ " Keiko thought " _I never met him.. I really have to meet him.. but why mum doesn't want to..? It's a one big lie!_ "

"I want to meet him!" Keiko yelled.

"No way you will!" Yuki said "He was a drunk, cheating man, and I don't want to such a coward be near you! I don't even know where he is!"

"I.. w-want.." Keiko said, and soon felt a rather strange feeling. It wasn't an usual headache or illness, but for sure she was feeling that something is not normal.

" **No!** For talking to your mother like this, yo-" Yuki stopped when she felt that she has problems with controlling the car "w-what the.."

"M-mum.. is everything okay..?" Keiko said, feeling that there is a problem.

"Kei-" Before Yuki could finish, she lost the control and the car crashed into nearby wall.

 _April 6th, 2019_

 _5km from the nearest city_

Keiko was standing near the bus station, when suddenly Maya patted her back.

"I'm kind of sad" Maya said "But hey, let's think positive. He found you after 15 years, after all"

Now 16 years old girl could only ask herself why her old guardian is so happy about that.

"I'm sad too" Keiko anwsered "Somehow.. I feel that I shouldn't"

"You're just worried" Maya said "The documents were fine, DNA tests confirmed that it's him.. guess you'll just have to stay with him. But hey, b-"

"..be positive. I know" Keiko said and sighed. She was flustered about all this, when Maya suddenly gave her a letter from the family court, saying that her parent is alive. Her old guardian blushed nervously and patted her back again. Then, she noticed a bus coming.

"It's yours. Guess we should say goodbye, huh?" Maya said, as Keiko turned around, only to hug her slowly. "Don't forget about me, okay?"

"I won't forget" Keiko anwsered "I should think positive, after all" she added, and picked her suitcase. She couldn't notice it, but Maya sobbed quietly, before the girl went into the bus and the doors closed themselves.

"And you're going to.." The driver asked her.

"Yumeto" she anwsered.

"Take your place" he said. Few people were already in the coach, and Keiko decided to take the one near the window. She placed her suitcase on the shelf, and sat down. She had like three hours before arriving at Yumeto, the place where her biological father was living.

" _I.. should take a nap.._ " Keiko said, hoping that she'll wake up before something important as usual. She couldn't count how many times Maya wanted to force her to sleep a little longer, as the girl was already ready for the school at 6 A.M, while her lessons were starting two hours later. Without thinking anymore, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

 _18:12_

She suddenly woke up, when someone patted her shoulder. It turned out to be a rather old man wearing a black suit. He looked rather serious.

"If you want to sleep, don't mumble while doing this" The man said and quickly went away, taking his seat. Keiko could only ask herself why she was mumbling, because it never happened to her. At least Maya wasn't waking her up when she was probably doing that.

"Arriving at Yumeto in 5 minutes!" the driver yelled. Keiko stretched herself and got ready to leave the coach.

 _5 minutes later_

She took her suitcase, and went out of the coach. The place looked more like a village than a city. Despite few people talking nearby, it was rather quiet, which made Keiko happy.

" _Maybe the home won't be so loud too.._ " girl thought to herself, and decided to check where she has to go now. She opened her backpack, and grabbed a small map. Hopefully her new home wasn't far away.

While walking, she noticed that there weren't many people, most of them were probably in their houses, as the lights were turned on. Keiko would only keep on moving, soon arriving at the detached houses settlement. Every of them looked rather similar, but hopefully Keiko knew which was the right one.

The house had two floors, yellow walls and a tiny garden with withered flowers. She slowly made her way to the doors, and knocked. Suddenly, she heard barking from the building.

" _A dog?_ " she thought. Keiko could only hope that it will be just a tiny puppy, not a giant wolfhound.

"Calm down, Kega! Now, go away and don't bother us" Keiko heard from inside. The owner of the voice had to be in his forties at least, judging from the calm, but rather tired voice.

When someone opened the doors, Keiko saw him.. the man was rather tall, being 5'11. His hair was dark brown, but the girl could notice that few years and it will be mostly grey. The person also had a grey eyes, and a shaved beard. He was wearing a brown cardigan and blue jeans.

"Ye-" before the man could end, he noticed who the girl was.

"H-hello.." Keiko muttered. Suddenly, the man hugged her.

"For six years.. I can't believe I could find you six years earlier.." he said, almost crying.

"Father.." Keiko said and embraced him. Tadao, her father, shook his head.

"Don't call me like that.. I was not long enough with you to make me your father.. just call me Tadao" he said, while Keiko nodded quickly.

Inside of her heart, Keiko was confused. When she was 10 years old, she desperately wanted to meet her father, but after the accident, she started to believe that if not him, she wouldn't have an argument with her mother, and there would be no car crash. Despite that, she still had some love for him, knowing that after fifteen years of not seeing his daughter, making her living with him was a miracle to Tadao.

"Come inside.. it's getting quite cold" Tadao said. Keiko nodded and walked inside. The man turned the lights on, and smiled.

"You've grown up a lot.." He said, while she blushed "You became really beautiful, Keiko"

"T-thank you.." Keiko said, not knowing what should she say now. As a teenager, people could say that she was quite pretty. She had a pair of grey eyes, and a shoulder-length dark hair. While being 5'5 feet tall, she could be considered tall, especially in Japan.

"Let me take your jacket" Tadao said and tried to take it off, but Keiko quickly moved away.

"N-no, it's fine.. It's just pretty cold.." she said, while blushing. She unconciously adjusted her right sleeve.

"O-okay" Tadao said and scratched his neck, asking himself why she can't just take it off and ask him to turn the heating on. "How about you'll eat something? You must b-"

"It's okay" Keiko said "I.. have eaten before" she added, while Tadao bowed his head a bit.

"Sure, but.. I think that we should talk a bit, and we could drink something"

Happily for him, Keiko nodded "Alright" she anwsered, while her father moved to the kitchen.

The house was rather big, especially the living room but because of the large number of sofas and other furniture, at first Keiko thought that it's much smaller.

"What will you drink?"

Keiko started to hum "Green tea..?"

"Sure" he anwsered and opened the cabinet "How much sugar?"

"Without sugar" she said "If that's not a probl-"

"No, it isn't!" Tadao said and smiled, happy to help his daughter "I should welcome you somehow.."

 _Few minutes later_

Keiko took her mug with a tea and take a sip.

"So.." father said "how long it was before you started to live with.." he couldn't remind himself "..Maya..?"

"Maya Amano" Keiko took a sip "After one year in an orphanage, she decided to adopt me"

"That's good" Tadao said "Was the living with her..?"

"It was alright" Keiko said. Maya, despite being middle-aged woman, was really good at talking with teenagers.

Tadao decided to not ask more about her "Hmm.. do you have any questions about me, or my ho-"

"Is there any dog here?" Keiko asked, reminding herself when she heard barking.

"Oh, right" man said "Kega!" he yelled and clapped with his hands.

Suddenly Keiko felt someone's presence. When she looked at the stairs, suddenly a large german shepherd walked down to the living room, and barked happily. Girl felt like she is going to faint if she'll be touched by this monster.

Tadao noticed it "Don't be scared! He won't attack" he said and stroked his fur. Then, Kega noticed Keiko, and moved to her. She gulped, but let herself be sniffed by a big dog.

"He likes you" her father smiled

" _Thank god.._ " Keiko thought. Suddenly, Kega sat near her and looked at her.

"W-what does he want..?" Keiko said nervously. Tadao laughed.

"He wants you to pet him"

"O-okay.." girl said and stroked dog's fur. Somehow, Kega didn't like this and pushed her hand away, only to start to stare at her second hand.

"W-with the right one..?!" Keiko said, while the dog whimpered, thinking that he did something wrong. Keiko was about to faint, knowing that her hand..

"What's the matter?" father asked.

"N-nothing!" Keiko said and quickly started to pet the dog with her right hand. Kega was happy, until he rubbed his muzzle against her jacket's sleeve.

"Hmm..?" Tadao said when he noticed something strange. Keiko noticed that and wanted to quickly cover it, but it was too late.

"N-Noooo!" she yelled when her father saw an.. artificial robotic arm.

Tadao was just staring, not knowing what to say, while Kega whimpered again.

"Keiko.. is that..?" father said, slowly getting know what was it and why it was there.

"T-that's right.." Keiko said and rolled her right sleeve up.

Tadao moved to her and kneeled down "Was it because of the.."

"Yes..!" Keiko said, not wanting to reminding the painful moment when she woke up, only to notice that her right forearm got amputated. She quickly started to cry.

"W-woah, don't cry!" Tadao said. He wasn't best at comforting people, but he knew he has to help his daughter "I understand"

"H-huh..?"

"It's okay. It could happen. You don't really have to cry" Tadao said and placed his hand on her artificial forearm "If you don't want to show me this, just cover it with a jacket.. I know that it has to be painful"

"F-father.." Keiko said and suddenly hugged him "..thank you.."

Tadao let her cry it all out. He knew that he has to help her, even if he didn't know how exactly. "Here, let's take you to your room" her father said and picked her up, only to enter a large bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2: First bonds

It wasn't how Tadao expect his daughter to end this day. Seeing her sleeping relieved him a bit, but he also had to know that it happened because of Kega accidentaly showing her artificial forearm. It didn't look like a cheap prosthetis, but more like a mechanical forarm, with cords being visible when her sleeved was rolled up. Despite that, her hand looked very natural, only looking at it for few seconds could make someone recognize that her fingers look quite strange.

He lied his daugher on the bed. Her room was not too big or too small, with a simple wardrobe, bed, desk with a PC and an old monitor on it. Tadao took her suitcase and placed it near the wardrobe, and then took her jacket off.

"Sleep well.." Her father said, turning the lights off and moving away. He had to sleep some too.

Meanwhile, Keiko was already sleeping, with her head being filled with dreams. Usually she couldn't remember them.

 _April 7th_

 _6:52_

"Woof! Woof!"

Suddenly Keiko woke up, realising that something wet is moving across her cheek. She quickly opened her eyes, only to notice that this thing was pink. Then, she also realized who was doing this.

"Ke.. Kega.." Keiko muttered, and the dog barked happily. German shepherd moved back a bit and sat near the bed. The girl rubbed her neck, stretching herself. Like always, she was waking way too early before she had to go to school, but this time she was feeling that her head hurts like she had a terrible sleep.

" _I should better get myself ready.._ " Keiko said and stood up. Today she had to go to school.. Yumeto High School, as a sophomore. She went to the suitcase, thinking that her father must lied it there, which was true. She opened it, revealing her winter uniform she got after getting signed to the school " _Looks.. looks fine_ " she said.

Her winter uniform consisted of blue blazer with a logo on the breast, white shirt, dark skirt and black socks. For her, it was enough. In the first letter from school, she got an information about what can she change to her taste, if it fits the dress code, but she didn't want to. She put the uniform on and went out of her room, while Kega was running cirlces around her.

She opened the doors, only to see Tadao drinking his coffee. He was suprised by the fact she woke up so early, but he also realized she went to sleep pretty early too.

"Morning" Keiko said, while Kega moved to her father and started to look right into his eyes, wanting something.

"Mor-" before he could end, he noticed Kega looking at him "You won't let me at least say hello to her, as I see?" he said and chuckled. Tadao stood up, and german shepherd immidiately moved to his bowl, sitting near it. Keiko's father sighed and gave him some dog food. "Want something to eat?" he asked. Keiko nodded.

"Yes.. I'm.. pretty hungry" She said and at first wanted to make something herself, but then decided to just sit down near the table and wait.

"I can take you to the sc-"

"No, it's okay" Keiko said and reminded herself the city map "I know where I have to go, to reach the school"

"A-alright then. Just don't rush yourself" Tadao said and gave her a cup of green tea and some toasts.

 _7:17_

Keiko brushed the sweat off her face "I don't know where I have to go.." she muttered and took a deep breath. She still had a lot of time before the lessons will start, but she didn't want to be late on her first day. Her thoughts got stopped by a sound of someone tripping.

"Oh, f-" Was all she could hear before loud noise of someone falling to the ground. She turned around, only to notice another student. Keiko immidiately moved to her, and offered a hand.

"Thanks.." the girl said, and finally Keiko could saw her face. She had long brown hair and a pair of green eyes, she was also as tall as her. She was wearing a Yumeto High's uniform, but her blazer was unzipped and she was wearing a green necktie over white shirt.

"No problem" Keiko said and looked around herself "Umm.. do you know where school is? You have the same logo as me"

"Oh, sure" brown-haired girl said and looked at her left "We should go there" she said and moved forward, with Keiko mincing behind her.

"So.." the girl said and turned around to her "What's your name? I haven't seen you before"

"O-oh, yeah.. I'm new here" Keiko said "I'm K-Keiko Nasura"

"I'm Mayumi Oyawa. Nice to meet you" girl said and gave her a hand. At first Keiko was a bit too nervous to shook it because she would have to use her right mechanical hand, but after a while, she nodded and shook her hand.

"Y-yeah" Keiko said, and then noticed a rather unordinary building "Is that a school?"

The building was three floors big, had brown walls and lots of windows. In front of it, there was a big metal gate, although it was opened, allowing students to enter the building. Many people were already going inside.

"Yep" Mayumi said and looked at the building. Standing between Keiko and the school, she turned to her "Welcome to the place where you'll sleep a lot - **Yumeto High School** "

"Sleep a lot?" Keiko said "I though you have to learn at school"

Mayumi sighed and looked at her like she didn't understand "It was a joke.."

"Guess it went out as a chestnut"

"Anyway.." Mayumi said and moved forward, with Keiko following her "..don't expect the teachers to be a gods of knowledge. Maybe Tumana can make you think of this building as a great place, but Rouno will immidiately make you sleep with his boring lectures"

"Tumana? Rouno..?"

"Oh, yeah. Tumana-sensei is teaching geography, while Rouno teaches literature" Mayumi explained, only to see Keiko nodding quietly "So you better sti-"

Suddenly they heard the first bell

"Oh crap!" Mayumi said and started to run fast like a gepard. Keiko quickly followed her, even if she wasn't as fast as her.

Hopefully they made it on time, and they could also check the bullet-in board. It turned out they were both in 2-D.

"Yay!" Mayumi said and jumped, what made Keiko think that she's _really_ inmature "So, classmates, huh?"

"Looks like.." Keiko anwsered and looked down. Mayumi rubbed her shoulder.

"C'mon, why so stressed?"

"Huh? Umm.. j-just thinking about the teachers and all.. should we go to the faculty office or something?" Keiko said. Mayumi nodded and took her upstairs. Above the large doors there was a sign with _Faculty Office_ written on it. Girls went inside of it.

Inside, there was only one man near his desk. He had almost fully grey hair, light green eyes, and seemed very old. He was wearing a two-piece suit, with black tie. While Keiko was curious why he was here, Mayumi almost fainted.

"Ow, Oyawa!" Man said and stood up. He seemed only a bit taller than the girls "I see.. you're bringing a new student?"

"Y-yes, sir" Mayumi said. The man gave Keiko a hand. After few seconds of quiet thinking, Keiko decided to shake it. Hopefully no one noticed.

"I'm K-Keiko Nasura" she introduced herself, while the man chuckled "Nice to meet you"

"I'm your homeroom teacher, Ken Rouno" he said, and went out of the faculty room with the girls "Class 2-D is this way.."

 _Later_

"Silence!" Rouno said. Other students almost fainted but quickly took their seats, while Keiko was in front of everyone, blushing unnoticibly "We have a new student here"

"I-I'm Keiko Nasura.." Keiko said and bowed slowly "P-please, take care of me"

Students didn't react, one of them was even just staring at the window next to him.

"Now, where would you sit.." Rouno said and ignored Mayumi's hand, as she wanted to suggest placing Keiko near her. Then, the teacher looked at the student who was staring at the window "Hey, Lakura!"

Student quickly turned around to the teacher "Ye- **ah!** " he shrieked and then fell on the floor. A loud sound could be heard.

"And that's what happens when you do not pay attention, Lakura!" Rouno yelled. Lakura rubbed his head.

"My god.." boy muttered.

"Here" Rouno said and looked at Keiko "She'll sit with you, Lakura"

Lakura didn't react as he slowly waited for the teacher to take his materials and start the lecture, not noticing Lakura who right now was staring at the window again. Keiko sighed and sat near him, trying to focus on the lesson.

 _8:25_

Keiko didn't yawn, but somehow Lakura was able to read her emotions.

"Boring, yes?" He said, not even looking at her "It's normal. His lectures are not very interesting"

"Huh?" Keiko said, feeling curious how he did that without looking at her. He also didn't seem to look at her reflection in windows either "Y-yes.. I guess you're right" she said and allowed herself to yawn quietly.

"What's your name?" Lakura asked, while Keiko raised her eyebrows, because she introduced herself before.

"I.. said that before"

"Looks like I didn't want to hear it" he anwsered. Keiko frowned unnoticibly, feeling ignored.

"Keiko Nasura"

"Now it looks like I wanted to hear it" Lakura said, while Keiko could only think why he was doing that.

" _Is this some kind of way to hit on someone..?_ " She thought to herself.

"And your name?" She asked.

"Lakura Kasai. The first one being the surname"

Keiko raised her eyebrows, not knowing why he was doing that. She decided to not talk to the strange boy. But suddenly, he turned around. Keiko could only see his rather pale face, black frizzy hair, and eyes, which were dark and looked like his head was hollow.

Keiko raised her eyebrows "Huh..?"

Meanwhile, Lakura was looking at her rather questionably. Like he was trying to see something different.

"Something happened?' She asked

"Nothing" He said and started to look at the window again. Something seemed very strange here.

" _How doesn't she..?_ " Kasai thought to himself. He could see it on every single person, but somehow, not on her. " _Strange.. even Mayumi's started to vanish.._ "

 _After the lessons_

 _14:15_

Keiko changed her shoes, and soon she saw Mayumi walking to her.

"Damnit.. why Kasai instead of me?" She said and sighed

"I don't know. He's pretty strange" Keiko anwsered.

"I prefer _unwonted_ "

Mayumi and Keiko turned around, only to notice that Kasai was behind them. Brown-haired girl was about to slap him, but he eventually dodged the attack with grace.

"What do you want?" Mayumi said, ready to fight.

"For sure not to fight with you. I shouldn't" He anwsered "I was thinking would you like to go with me"

"Huh?!" Mayumi said, while Keiko blushed "Why would we?"

Keiko could only question herself why Kasai was getting more and more stranger to her.

"And now look at Keiko Nasura and Mayumi Oyawa, girls who don't know that someone just like to meet with his classmates, not trying to hit on them" Kasai said and smirked unnoticibly.

Mayumi blushed "W-what..?! W-we weren't thinking that! R-right, Kei-chan?!"

" _Not at all_ " She thought to herself

"Maybe we were just worried" Keiko said calmly, letting Kasai sigh in relief.

"In any way.." he said "Should we go or not?"

"Where?" Mayumi asked.

"To Oishi" he anwsered and went out.

 _14:22_

 _Oishi Restaurant_

"Thought that the new student would try to see something interesting in this town, at least" Kasai said and took his seat.

"Interesting?" Mayumi said and chuckled "Just a typical restaurant with food. And you're here everyday after school. Nothing int-"

Kasai looked at her with death in his eyes, almost summoning a demon in his mind.

"I'm not saying anything" Mayumi said and sighed. She turned to Keiko "You're new here, after all. How about I'll pay for your meal?"

Keiko blushed "Y-you don't have too.."

"Oh, c'mon!" Mayumi said and patted her shoulder "Just for a friend!"

"You've got to eat something" Kasai said, taking the menu which was lying on the table.

"Said the one looking like a skeleton" Mayumi commented,giving him a smirk. It was true, mostly because of Kasai's thin body, although he seemed to not be weak because of that.

"Nevermind" He said and pointed at Keiko gently, asking her to take a seat "One Yumebowl, please!" he ordered. The chief behind the counter sighed.

"Someday I'll have to close this restaurant just because of you, Kasai!" He said, but nodded.

"Hmm?" Keiko said, rasing an eyebrow.

"Well.." Mayumi said "Kasai can eat a lot, and _Yumebowl_ is a kind of challenge. A one large plate filled with beef, rice, vegetables and sauce. Eat it in 30 mintues, and you don't have to pay anything. Don't eat it, and you pay 5000 yen"

"And so..?"

"He wins everytime"

Kasai clapped "Yes, yes.. now your orders"

 _Seven minutes later_

"How can you eat so much?!" Mayumi said. It took only seven minutes for Kasai to finish almost half of the plate.

"I'm.. training.." he said, swallowing the food. Mayumi was almost playing with her salad, while Keiko was struggling to continue on eating the soup, shocked how fast Kasai can eat.

"You're not eating?" Mayumi said and looked at Keiko.

"It's okay.." Keiko said. She was trying to think about her life in Yumeto " _One day, and I've already met a skinny boy who eats a lot, and an immature girl, probably most beautiful here. Who will be next?_ "

"WHAT?!" The chief said and looked at Kasai's plate, which was already empty. "H-how the..?"

"Rules are rules" He said and stood up "I've beaten the challenge again"

"W-wow.. you did it even faster.." Mayumi said "How did you even start with it? It's just too big"

"Well.." Kasai said and sat down again "You need to have few things. Understanding to accept is as a whole. Knowledge, to set the proper pace. Courage to attack all this food and keep on eating. All this and yo-"

"I've already heard it like one hundred times" Mayumi said and sighed, while Kasai just frowned.

"Hmph" He said and sat down. Mayumi already finished her food, while Keiko was still eating.

 _Ten mintues later_

"Sorry.. I guess I wasn't hungry at all.." Keiko said, while Mayumi was paying.

"So.. do you know something about this town?" Kasai asked. In awnser, girl shook her head.

"Not at all.."

"I can show you something" Kasai said "You know that there is a waterfall there?"

"A waterfall?" Keiko said.

"Yes, there is" black-haired boy anwsered "I like to go there when thinking hard. Maybe you'll think the same"

"I don't think so"

"Guess we'll see" Kasai said and looked at Mayumi "Strange.."

"Hmm?" Keiko said.

"Nothing"


	3. Chapter 3: Awakening

"Alright..?" Keiko muttered and waited for him, so she could follow him to the Waterfall. She didn't know that this town has a waterfall, but even if it had, she was expecting a small one, not a giant stream of water falling from above.

"Woah.." Keiko said as she saw the park. Not many people were there, but it didn't make anything worse. The place was looking beautiful, everything was green, and a giant lake with a huge waterfall near it "Was it manmade?"

"Of course not" Kasai anwsered and sighed "Only nature could create something beautiful like this"

"You say so..?" they heard Mayumi's voice.

"Of course. I like to go there" he said "Especially to look at the butterflies"

"Butterflies, you say..?" Mayumi asked "I have an idea"

Few minutes later

"I was never doing something like this" Kasai said when Mayumi gave him a large butterfly net.

"Me either" Keiko added, but eventually took the net from Mayumi. Girl with a green tie seemed very optimistic to try to catch some butterflies.

"You have to try!" Mayumi said and ran away with her own net "See you later!"

Kasai looked at Keiko "I'll take the left side"

"If that's what you want" she anwsered and went to the right side. Kasai and Mayumi were true, as expected in April, there were lots of butterflies, most of them in rather vibrant colors, though Keiko didn't find the blue one. Green, red, purple, yellow - she could catch them, but no blue.

"Hmph.." she said and checked the time on her smartphone. She should return to the middle of the park, but somehow she decided to not too. Then, something flew near her.

It was another butterfly, but the real thing was that.. it was blue. It gracefully flew around Keiko's head, as she was staring at the butterfly.

"Woah.." she said, and then saw the butterfly flying away "No way!" she said and tried to catch it into her net, at least for a while.

Sadly, the blue insect was much faster than her, not allowing the girl to catch it. She was slowly losing her hope, until Keiko noticed that it stopped near the waterfall. She closed her eyes for a bit, staring at the huge amounts of water falling. She was really feeling that there has to be something behind it, not just a simple wall.

And then, she saw the butterfly once again. Keiko quickly took her net and rushed onto it, not realising that she was close to fall into the lake.

"Come he- w-woaaah!" She yelled while tripping and falling into the water. It would be alright if she just fall there and get up, but sadly Keiko hit the rock, causing her to lose her conciousness.

Somewhere

Keiko woke up in rather strange place. Everything seemed to be made of dark rocks, and the sky was dark green. It looked very unordinary, as the place she was in seemed to be very large, with mountains and cliffs.

She slowly stood up "Where.. where am I..?" this place was looking really dangerous. But then, she saw something on her right. It was a wooden door, and it was built right into the wall. Keiko thought that maybe she would find help there.

"H-hello..? I-is someone there?" she asked while opening the strange door. When she opened it, strange light surrounded her as she lost her conciousness.

March 24th, 2013

8:14 A.M

Tatsumi Hospital, Tatsumi Port Island

Keiko was breathing lightly as she woke up. She was inside of white room, and there were few people around her. She noticed that she was lying on the rather soft bed.

"W-where.." she muttered, but immidiately someone forced her to not say anything.

"Shh.." she heard female voice "It's okay"  
"B-but where's mommy..?" Keiko said and looked at her left arm. It seemed normal, yet she somehow felt that the right one isn't in good condition. She looked at it, only to notice that it ends on her elbow. She immidiately gasped.

"AAAAAAAH!" a loud scream could be heard. The people tried to calm her down.

"Please, calm down!" a woman said. Keiko could finally notice where she is. In a hospital. Surrounded by nurses and doctors.

Keiko almost started to cry "W-what is this..?! H-how?!"

"Nasura-chan, please calm down" one of the doctors said "We had to amputate your right forearm, due to the car accident"

"C-car accident?! I.." she said and then reminded herself everything. Her mother's car crashed into a wall that was nearby.

"Yes. You have been found half-dead. But, we managed to rescue you, despite the unprofitability"

Keiko gasped quietly "U-unprofitability..?!"

"I'll leave you now" Doctor said and left the room.

"N-no, please! W-where's mu-"

"Your mum is dead" she heard from behind. These words broke her heart. There was something strange although. The voice seemed to be not so natural, and didn't come from any nurse.

"W-what?!"

"She died"

"B-but how..?! W-why mum died?!"

"Because you were bothering her with your constant whining"

"W-whining.. I was.. whining.." Keiko muttered to herself. Suddenly, darkness surrounded her, and nurses and everything else seemed to disappear.

"Yes" she heard "Your own father decided to not take care of you, and now you don't even have your mother"

"B-but why.. why!"

"I told you before.. because of your whining"

"It was.. it was.." somehow she couldn't not struggle.

"It was you!" she heard another voice. Now it did seem like it was her mother's voice. "All because of you!"

"M-mum?! W-where are you?!" Keiko yelled through tears.

"I tried my best for you! But even with that, you were still whining about that asshole!" she heard Yuki's voice. Keiko nodded.

"M-mum! P-please, I'm sorry!" She yelled and kneeled down while crying.

"You think that It won't clean the mess you've created?! And you want to call me your mother?!"

"I.. I.." Keiko said. Then, she saw strange things gathering around her. Strange goo-like creatures with red eyes, no mouth. They were slowly crawling towards her, but Keiko didn't care. She wanted her mother to forgive her.

"Please! I'm sorry! I won't say anything about father now! Just please, plea-"

"No!" she heard her mother's scary voice "You did all this, and you try to cry?! You won't do anything with that! I.. I HATE YOU!"

Keiko gasped, not being able to say anything. But then, she heard another voice. It was more calm, and it was feminime.

"Do you really want to believe all this?" she heard.

"W-what?!" Keiko muttered.

"Do you really think that the things around you can be real?"

"B-but.." Keiko said "M-mother.. the crash.."

"You must know when something is the truth.. and when something is just a dream"

"A.. a dream..?" she muttered. She saw the creatures making their way quicker.

"You have to understand" she heard "Use your heart and your mind.. do you think it's real? Do you think.. your mother could do this to you?"

"She.. she.." Keiko couldn't say anything at first "She couldn't!"

"Why?"

"She.. she loved me! I-I know this! For sure!"

"So why she was scolding you?"

"Because of my father! She just wanted to forget everything about him!" Keiko yelled and slowly stood up.

"So what is what you are seeing now?"

"What is what..?" Keiko said and slowly realised. Her father, mother, the doctors. She knew how it was looking at first. She was scared, and the information about her mother made her heart break, but someday she understood that it wasn't a suicide, her fate.. her mother just died in an accident.

"Yes! What is what you are seeing now?"

"I know! I.. mum couldn't do that! She loved me, but never wanted to talk about father! So this.. it's.. **it's just a dream!** "

Suddenly, the creatures disappeared, and the light surrounded her. Strange feminime voice disappeared too, and she didn't hear her mother's voice anymore. When Keiko opened her eyes, she saw that she is back at the strange place with green sky. But this time, she also noticed the things crawling up to her.

"G-go away!" Keiko said and tried to run as one of the monsters reached her leg, but sadly she got surrounded.

"I.. I'll die.. I will just die.." Keiko thought to herself, but she suddenly heard that feminime voice again. Now, much more serious but also warmer.

" _You won't_ " she heard

"W-who are you?!" Keiko yelled.

" _I'm the other you.. who waits to be awakened_ "

"The.. the other me?"

" _Yes. If you promise me not to make this type of mistakes anymore.. I shall lend you a power to help you get out of this nightmare_ "

"Power.. you'll lend me your power..?" Keiko said, and slowly heard a giant headache, like her skull is almost going to break. "Argh!"

" _We'll form a pact.._ "

"P-pact.. let's form a pact.." Keiko muttered "I'm.. the other you"

She heard chuckle.

" ** _..I am thou.._** " Keiko felt another wave of pain in her head, like it was going to explode soon " ** _..thou.. art I. From the sea of thy soul, I cometh, and lend you my power.._** "

Suddenly, a blue light surrounded her, and Keiko stood up with no problem. Strange creatures backed off a bit, and the girl was feeling the power gathering in her.

"Per.. so.." Keiko muttered " **..NA!** "

Something from her body came out. The creature was almost three times bigger than Keiko, and looked very strange. It was wearing a pink sweater, with its sleeves being too long, covering the hands. The creature had a plush doll-like face, with blue buttons instead of eyes. It also had a mouth, drew with a red crayon. The doll had curly blonde hair, and Keiko could see that the creature's legs were made from some kind of steel.

Suddenly, the goo-like creatures rushed onto Keiko, but she already knew who is going to be alive here.

" **Wendy!** "

The doll-like girl turned around like a toy, her legs flying. She kicked the monster who was nearby. But it didn't stop the other ones from trying to attack Keiko. Hopefully, Wendy pushed the monster away by throwing it into the wall.

"Attack!" Keiko yelled, as her Persona started to slaughter all of the black monsters. Keiko also felt that each attack makes her a bit more tired, but right now, she couldn't care about it.

Only one creature remained, and Keiko decided to show him their skills.

" _Kouha!_ " Keiko said, and Wendy pointed at the creature. Strange yellow-like light appeared and pierced the monster, causing it to disappear. Keiko slowly kneeled down, tired.

"Keiko-san!" she heard from somewhere, and then felt like her body is getting pulled out, despite not being touched.

Soon, she also felt water reaching her hips. When she opened her eyes, she saw two familliar people - Kasai and Mayumi. They grabbed her and placed her on the ground. Keiko returned from the Waterfall.

"What the heck happened with you?!" Mayumi shouted "You were in the water all this time?!"

"What..?" Keiko muttered, her eyelids getting heavy.

"You were lying on the water, half-dead!" Kasai said.

"I've.." Keiko muttered. No one could believe her what really happened "I think I just fainted.."

"Ye-" Kasai said and noticed something strange.

"What is it?" Mayumi asked.

"Nothing" he anwsered, while looking at Keiko.

"Nevermind.." she anwsered and patted Keiko's shoulder "Are you alright?"

"I think I am.. can you.. take me home?" she asked. Her friends nodded.


	4. Chapter 4: Bizarre old man, and nurse

Tadao was slowly sipping his coffee, when he heard a doorbell. Kega quickly stood up and moved to the doors, barking loudly and trying to get his attention.

"Hey, slow down" Tadao said and walked to the doors. He opened them slowly, only to see Keiko being carried by Kasai and Mayumi "What the..!"

"Um.. h-hello.." Mayumi said.

"Welcome, mister" Kasai added. Without saying anything, Tadao grabbed his daughter and picked her up.

"Who are you, and what did you do to her?!" He said, worried that the teenagers did something bad to Keiko.

"Nothing" Kasai said

"We were having a walk and showing her around when she tripped, and she was too tired to walk" Mayumi said nervously, scaried by Tadao's angry expression.

"If that's what you say.." he anwsered and looked at Keiko's face. She was sleeping, not being able to hear them "I'll ask her about that later. If what she say will not be the same as you said.."

"I don't mind" Kasai taunted. Mayumi was almost trying to say _goodbye_ and leave them.

"Hmph" Tadao said and then closed the doors.

"What do you think?" Kasai asked.

"I think that **we're pretty screwed!** " Mayumi anwsered, and tried to slap him. This time, Kasai wasn't able to dodge the attack. He turned around and fell down.

"What the..!"

"What? You saw that if she won't say the exa-"

"I.. didn't mean that" he said and stood up. He looked at Mayumi's eyes, making her feel uncomfortable. Whoever Kasai was looking at, his black eyes for sure were scary.

"W-what do you want?"

"I'm.. curious" he said

"A-about what..?!"

"Keiko and you.. there is something strange" he said. Mayumi started to laugh.

"Strange? And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Something.. unwonted"

"Stop this already" Mayumi said and turned around "Whatever it is, Kasai, you're always making people fired up" she started to walk away.

"Fire.. fire.. _**fire up**_?" he said and looked at the ground. He formed his hands into fists and went away, shaking.

 _Later_

"Huh..?" Keiko said as Tadao lied her on the bed.

"It's okay" he said and placed his palm on her head "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes.. I think I am.. feeling okay"

"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked, while Kega ran to Keiko and barked happily.

"I.." she said, struggling. Her father wouldn't believe something like this, and she quickly decided to lie to him "I.. just got tired.. and asked them to take me home"

He sighed in relief "Alright.. will you eat something?"

Keiko shook her head "No.. I'm not hungry.. just a bit sleepy"

"Okay.." he said and then went away, only to come back with a glass of water in his hands "But drink something if you will be thirsty"

"Uh-huh.." Keiko said and nodded. Then, Kega jumped onto her bed. German shepherd was big and heavy, causing the girl to yell quietly.

"Hey, get off!" Tadao said, but Keiko looked at the dog and smiled.

"Let him stay, please.." She said and rubbed his fur.

"Woof! Woof!"

"But he's very hea-" before Tadao could finish, Keiko shook her head.

"He's not. M-maybe when he jumped at me he was, but now it's okay"

"A-alright then.." her father said and went to the doors. He looked at Kega "Protect her, buddy"

"Arf!" German shepherd barked and licked Keiko's mechanical arm.

"Why are you so attatched to it..?" Keiko said and closed her eyes. She really had to get some sleep. She fell asleep while stroking Kega's fur.

 _Somewhere, Somewhen_

When Keiko opened her eyes, she noticed that she's not lying on the bed - hmph, she wasn't even in her own room. The place she was in looked very comfy, it had blue walls, light blue carped, and Keiko also noticed she was sitting on a big couch. The whole room looked like a psychologist room, especially when she saw who was here besides her.

In front of her, she saw a bizarre old man, sitting behind a big wooden desk. The man had unnaturally long nose, large bloodshot eyes and pointed ears. The top of his head had no hair at all, but on its sides, Keiko could notice white hair. He was also wearing a black suit, and white gloves. The man grinned unnaturally at Keiko.

" **Welcome to the Velvet Room** " he said.

"V-velvet room..?" Keiko said and rubbed her eyes. How did she even arrive here.

"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter" he added "Now then.. how about you'll tell me your name?"

"My name? I'm Keiko.. Keiko Nasura" she anwsered, looking around.

"Very well then, Keiko" he said "I am Igor, the resident of this place"

"I-Igor..?" Keiko muttered. She never heard that name before.

"It seems that you have awakened to a Persona" Igor said, and opened his hand. Suddenly, a strange card appeared on it. It was floating, and had a picture of a person walking with dog near the cliff. Under the picture, there was a number zero.

"It seems that it was Wendy.. she heard your voice" Igor said.

"Per.. sona..?" Keiko muttered. She wanted to know how she said this word, despite not hearing it before.

"Persona, is in simple words, is a _mask_ \- armor of your heart, which you use to confront the danger around you" He explained.

"My mask.. does that mean Wendy is my armor? She's.. she's protecting me?" Keiko said.

Igor nodded "She gave you her power, making you able to control her. She's you, and you are her"

"I.. think I understand. But why am I here?" Keiko said and looked around. This place looked rather calm, but somehow strange to her.

"That's because of your journey" Igor said "Your journey to help the other people recognize what is the truth, and what is a lie. Sophia?"

" _Sophia?_ " Keiko thought.

Suddenly, another person appeared. It was a rather young woman, wearing nurse coat, which was in blue color. She hat an old nurse hat with golden V letter on it, blonde curly hair and golden eyes.

"This is Sophia" Igor said "She's the resident of this place, just like myself"

"I am Sophia" woman said and bowed down gently "I'm here to help you throughout your journey" she said, and then opened her hand. A strange light appeared, and when it vanished, Keiko could see that a key was floating on Sophia's palm. It had a golden circle, but it was also blue in few parts.

"This key represents that you are a guest in this room" Igor said, as Sophia gave the key to Keiko.

"Gue-" before Keiko finished, Igor looked at the old watch that was near them.

"It seems that it's time for you to wake up. Next time when you'll arrive here, it will happen because of your own free will" Igor said, and Keiko could notice that she's slowly losing her conciousness.

"No, ple-" before she finished, she fell asleep again, only to wake up much later.

 _March 8th, 7:12_

"Arf! Arf!"

Keiko opened her eyes, only to see Kega licking her cheek "Hey.." she said and chuckled. German shepherd barked and jumped off her bed.

"Woof!"

"Okay, okay.. you don't have to be so fast about that.." Keiko said and noticed that she is already in her uniform "Oh.." she muttered and just decided to take a shower, and take her spare uniform.

 _10 minutes later_

"Hey" Tadao said when Keiko went to the kitchen. He was making a breakfast "Keiko, I have a question?"

"Y-yes..?" she said, worried.

"Your friends told me why they had to carry you.. can I hear you version of that?"

"U-umm.." Keiko said, struggling. She didn't want to make Tadao suspect her, or her friends "I-I.. t-tripped.. and lost my conciousness" Keiko made a quick lie. Tadao sighed.

"Okay then. Your friends told me the same thing"

Keiko took a deep breath "Geez.." she muttered, and decided to eat something.

 _Later_

On her way to school, she met Kasai.

"Oh.. hey" Keiko said and looked at him. Black-haired boy rubbed his eyes "Something happened?"

"No" he anwsered and yawned "I.. guess just didn't sleep a lot. How about you?"

"I was sleeping a lo-" before she ended, they both saw Mayumi reaching them.

"I knew it! You were trying to hit on her!" Mayumi said and slapped him. This time, Kasai was able to dodge the attack, but it was more like because of reflex rather than predicting her move.

"Are you out of your mind, dimwit?" Kasai said and pushed her hand away.

"Hey, calm down" Keiko said and sighed "It's not my fault that I met him"

"Thanks.."

"Any way.." Mayumi said and patted her shoulder "What exactly happened near that waterfall?"

"Huh..?!" Keiko said. No one would believe "I.. I just wanted to catch a butterfly.. and I tripped.."

Kasai chuckled "Now that's unusual. Losing your conciousness because of another butterfly"

"Shut up.." Keiko said and looked away. It was really strange.

"Y-yeah, I.. have to ask you something" Kasai said while walking.

"What is it again?" Mayumi said and sighed.

"Did you notice anything strange in yourself..?" He said without any struggle, like this question was all natural. Mayumi and Keiko stopped walking.

"W-what?" Keiko said.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Mayumi added. Kasai turned red.

"Well, you see.." Kasai said "I.. somehow feel that you're different"

Mayumi laughed "First me, now you're telling the same thing to Kei-chan? Stop it already, you're too fired u-"

Kasai grabbed her by collar " **I'm not!** " he yelled. Despite being skinny, he was able to pick Mayumi up a bit.

"Hey, stop it!" Keiko said and tried to calm him down, while Mayumi was trying to break free.

"If you won't stop, I-" Kasai said and frowned.

"Calm down!" Keiko said tried to push him away. Sadly, she was too weak.

"I'm.. I'm sorry" he said when realizing something. He let Mayumi go.

"W-what the hell did you just do?!" Mayumi yelled "It wasn-"

"You better calm down too!" Keiko said and patted Kasai's shoulder "What do you mean by that? _Something strange_?"

"I.." Kasai said and looked away. He rubbed his eyes "It's not the good moment to say that.. you shouldn't laugh before school" he said, and then walked away. Keiko and Mayumi could only stare at themselves, shocked why he was so serious about that.

Meanwhile, Kasai was almost running " _These girls.. what in the world..?!_ " he thought to himself why running. He couldn't remind himself did something like this happen before " _Did they.. how..?_ " he said, and started to run.

"What's wrong with him?" Keiko said and raised her eyebrows.

"Whole Lakura" Mayumi said and walked to the school "Come one, we're going to be late"

"Alright.." Keiko said and followed her.

 _12:32_

"Will you tell me finally?" Keiko said while sitting near Kasai, who was looking at the window.

"I tried to tell that to many people. But every one of them.. laughed" He said and looked at her, his dark eyes could easily scare anyone if he wasn't smiling or frowning.

"Just tell me" Keiko said, and started to think. Maybe he also had a _Persona_? She wasn't sure, but she had to know more about it. Kasai looked at the clock.

"Meet me.. meet me near the waterfall" He said and looked away.


	5. Chapter 5: The Vision

" _Near the waterfall..?_ " Keiko thought to herself. She still wasn't sure is Kasai going to tell her a about ' _Personas'_ or will it be just an ordinary secret he'll reveal to her. In any way, she nodded (despite the fact he wasn't looking at her right now) and tried to focus on the lesson.

 _13:05_

 _Long break_

Keiko was patiently writing the notes after the lesson. It was her way to remember everything, mostly because during the lessons the teachers - or more like their lectures - were boring. Mayumi was true, Tumana was really good at teaching, mostly because of her cheerful attitude to every student, while Rouno could keep talking and talking, without noticing that half of the class was sleeping.

"Hey, Kei-chan!" she heard from her left. Keiko turned around, only to suddenly feel Mayumi grabbing her hand.

"W-whoa!" Keiko said and turned red when Mayumi grabbed her right arm. Hopefully, her friend didn't notice that there was something strange with Keiko's arm "Slow down! Where are we going?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Mayumi said and smiled "To the cafeteria, eat something, right?"

"T-thanks, but I'm not hungry.."

Mayumi punched her in her shoulder lightly "C'mon, you look like a skeleton! Especially your arm"

"Huh..?!" Keiko said and almost turned red. Hopefully she calmed down and nodded "A-alright.. I think I would eat something.."

"That's the spirit!" Mayumi said and tried to grab her hand again.

"Let's g-" before Keiko ended, Mayumi quickly dragged her to the cafeteria.

The place had lots of tables and chairs, and also lots of students willing to take their food. Then, Keiko noticed Kasai, who was in the corner of the room. She still wanted to ask him can he say it earlier, but because of Mayumi walking with her, she decided that it she won't do that.

Keiko moved to the counter and took her food tray. The amount of food was large - there was a bowl with broth, another bowl, this time with noodles and a plate with fried fish and rice. And all of this was for her.

"I-I don't think I'll eat that much.." She muttered, taking the spoon.

"Oh, come on!" Mayumi said and sat with her near one of the tables "You've got to eat something!"

"It's.. well.." Keiko started to struggle, but Mayumi patted her shoulder, relieving her.

"You can tell me, I won't spread any rumor" she anwsered.

"Well.." Keiko said "Before we ate at Oishi, I actually never ate that much"

"Oh, you actually never told me" Mayumi said and took the bite of fried salmon "How was your life before arriving here? Are you staying here forever?"

Keiko blushed deeply "I.. was born in Tatsumi Port Island"

"Tatsumi Port Island?!" Mayumi said, shocked a bit "Ain't that this city were that.. _apathy syndrome_ was happening? You know, people were turning almost into zombies, or something.."

"I was too young to actually see that" Keiko said "The thing is, why.. why I'm here" she started to quickly eat the soup. Happily it wasn't hot or cold, but warm.

"Huh?"

"I'm..I'm a half-orphan" Keiko said nervously. Mayumi started to cough, like she wasn't sure what she just heard.

"Half-orphan..? You mean that.." Mayumi just realized.

"Y-yes.. my mum died, in an accident" she said, being on the edge of tears.

" _Don't cry_ "

"H-huh..?!" Keiko muttered and looked around. No one was near her besides Mayumi, yet strange voice seemed to appear very close to her, or directly in her head.

" _I said, don't cry_ "

"W-who are you?" Keiko thought to herself, thinking that the strange _person_ is in her head.

" _Have you already forgotten?_ " She heard " _I'm Wendy, the other you. I will always be with you_ "

Now Keiko reminded herself that this strange voice. It really wasn't a dream.

"S-so you're here.. that's strange.." Keiko said, not believing at first.

" _For the last time - don't cry. Your mother wouldn't like to see that_ "

"Y-you're right.." Keiko said and looked at her right arm "I won't cry.."

"What are you doing?" Mayumi said, raising her eyebrows.

Keiko quickly snapped out of talking to Wendy "U-um.. n-nothing.." she said and started to continue the broth.

"Okay..?" Mayumi said and sighed.

While eating, Keiko tried to think of something. Her mechanical arm.. it wouldn't be best to reveal it to everyone in school right now, but if she'll get noticed with it suddenly? How Mayumi and Kasai would react?

"Mayumi-san.." Keiko muttered.

"What is it?" she anwsered, swallowing the piece of fried salmon.

"I.. would like to talk to you" Keiko said "Somewhere where there aren't many people"

"Really?" Mayumi said and raised her eyebrows, not expecting much from her "If that's what you want.. alright"

"Thank you"

 _13:25_

" _Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!_ "

"Calm down" Keiko thought while leading Mayumi to practice building, where there weren't many people.

"So..?" Mayumi said "What is it?"

"You see.." Keiko started "My mum died in a car accident"

"Okay.." she anwsered "I pity you, it ha-"

"That's not what I'm talking about" Keiko anwsered and touched her right sleeve "I was in the car when that happened.. and.."

"Yes..?" Mayumi said.

" _Now! Now! Now!_ "

"Alright, alright!" Keiko thought, and then rolled her right sleeve up, revealing a mechanical right forearm.

At first, Mayumi was curious is that a cosplay or something, only to see that there is no skin near Keiko's elbow, like her arm was really ending here. She gasped.

"T-that's..!"

"I-I know!" Keiko said and sighed "I-If you don't like me, you can go.. I just wanted to cry it out, and all.."

Mayumi looked at her and hugged her friendly "H-huh?!" Keiko said and shrieked.

"Why would I not like you?" Mayumi said and let her go "It's strange, but I see it cool"

"W-what?!" Keiko said, shocked. How can losing an arm be cute?!

"It looks cool for me" she anwsered and touched her forearm "Well, it means that you don't have a natural forearm, but still it looks amazing. Like you're a cyborg!"

"C-cyborg.." Keiko muttered and looked down.

" _See?_ "

"If you don't want anyone to see it, just hide it" Mayumi said and grabbed her hand "Maybe you'll show it to Kasai someday, for sure he won't laugh at you"

"A-alright.."

"Now, let's go back to the class" Mayumi said and then they heard a bell ringing "Yep.. we have a mathmatics now.. geez.."

Keiko sighed, but eventually walked back to the classroom with her.

 _14:24_

 _Near the Waterfall_

Keiko walked to the park, only to see Kasai sitting near the lake. He was looking kind of bored, looking at the water and sighing from time to time.

"So?" Keiko said and walked closer to him. He didn't even look at her, simply staring at the water.

"So I guess you still wanted to hear it, yes?"

"That's right" She anwsered, and sat near him "You like to go here?"

"Yes" Kasai anwsered and sighed "I.. just like the water. Beautiful color, relieving.. something like this"

Keiko looked at the ground and saw a tiny rock lying near her foot. She grabbed it and then threw it into the water "While I like the noises it makes when throwing something into it"

"Hmph" He muttered and then looked at her, his dark eyes almost pitting her face,

"So.." Keiko said "What's with all this? You are acting somehow strange"

"How do I say it.." Kasai said and sighed. He looked away "You had to notice that I was dodging Mayumi's attacks for a while, right?"

Keiko nodded, but she couldn't imagine why, thinking that he could do that rather because of his reflex.

"I.. can see other people's.. reflections"

"What?" Keiko said and raised her eyebrows. She was expecting that Kasai will say something about Personas, not ' _reflections'_.

Kasai sighed again "Reflections, shadows.. I don't know how to call them. They're.. in everyone" he said "They look almost the same like the person they're near, but their eyes are golden"

Now Keiko was curious "And that's why you can dodge every attack..?"

"Before someone hits me, the reflections smiles, frowns, or looks like it's shouting.. I can see their intentions right before they'll act"

Keiko thought that it's impossible, only to think that she has a control over a giant killing doll, so seeing someone's shadow isn't that strange.

"Alright.." She said "And why you were asking us about it? You were acting strange especially near me and Oyawa-san"

"That's because.." Kasai looked at her "I can't see yours"

"H-huh?!"

"When I saw you at first, you didn't have a reflection.." Kasai said "And then, I noticed that Mayumi's reflection is vanishing, and now I can't see her reflection too.."

"That's.."

"Idiotic, right?" Kasai said and sighed.

"..interesting" Keiko said, and then decided that she should show her arm to Kasai. Nothing could be more strange, right? "I have to show you something.."

"That arm?" Kasai said and sighed. Keiko sweatdropped.

"B-but how do you.."

"I just noticed" Kasai said "Also, your hand was very.. strange. I am not blind"

" _You seem to more likely see more, than being blind_ " Wendy muttered.

"I.. o-okay.." Keiko said and turned red. What if other people will discover it too "S-so.. you were born with this?"

Kasai turned red "W-well.. I wasn't.. b-but I can't remember when I got this.."

"Really?" Keiko said "T-that's interesting.. I'm serious"

"Maybe I'll know why I can do that.." He said, and looked at the Waterfall "Aren't you at least curious what is on the other side of it?"

"U-umm.. no.."

"We should check it someday" He said "Water here won't make your whole legs wet"


	6. Chapter 6: The power of Water

"Y-yeah.." Keiko muttered "W-what do you think that can be there?"

Kasai shrugged and looked at the Waterfall "I guess something has to be there. But I'm sure there's no rock wall"

"Why do you think that?"

"I don't know.." He anwsered "..but I just know"

Kasai stood up and rolled his legs up "Shall we go?"

Keiko wasn't wearing trousers, so she just took her shoes off and entered the water, not caring that her socks will get wet in few seconds "I hope no one will see us like that"

"Oh, yes" Kasai said "Maybe we're not allowed to enter the water here. But I still want to see what is behind that Waterfall.."

They both made their way to the Waterfall.

"Who'll go first?" Kasai asked.

"M-maybe you..?"

"Ladies first" He said and gestured at the water.

" _Damnit.._ " Keiko thought to herself, and took a deep breath. She ented the Waterfall, only to see that everything around her is covered in darkness. "Hey, Kasai, you can come no-" she said and stopped when she turned around. The Waterfall disappeared. She rubbed her eyes, only to suddenly see that the place changed.

It was looking exactly the same like when Keiko woke up. Everything was made from rocks, sky was green and the moon wasn't even visible.

"K-Kasai..?!" she muttered, only to soon feel someone's hand on her shoulder.

"What in the world.." Keiko heard his voice and turned around. Kasai was right behind her, and he was looking around, amazed by what he was seeing right now.

"W-what is this place?!" Keiko muttered, now being sure that this world was existing.

"Like I know!" Kasai anwsered and walked to the rock wall "That's.. strange.."

"W-what?"

"I'm feeling like I can't see shadows, but I can hear them.." Kasai anwsered "Few of them scream.. few of them laugh and giggle.. like there are people, but we can't see them"

"S-someone's here?!" Keiko yelled, only to hear no anwser.

"I don't think someone will hear us" Kasai said and looked around, only to focus at something "I.. hey!"

"What again?!"

"That's.. that's my voice!" Kasai said and started to run.

"D-don't leave me!" Keiko shouted and followed him.

The place looked like it will never end. Kasai was running, until they both reached a strange wall. The thing was, a wooden door was attatched to it. Keiko could notice a few black signs, like the doors were burning before.

"A.. a door?" Keiko said, slowly reminding herself that she saw similar one before awaking in the hospital.

"I.. I feel like something important is inside.." Kasai muttered and tried to open them. Keiko quickly reminded herself what would happen there.

"Don't!" She yelled, but it was too late. Kasai pressed the handle and opened the doors, only to vanish into darkness after entering the _room_ "Crap!" Keiko said and followed him, only to get surrounded by light and wake up in another place.

Keiko woke up on the ground, and noticed that there was no Kasai near her. She was alone there. The place looked like a typical town, she looked around only to notice that she was in some kind of park. The weather was warm, and few people were walking near. Keiko noticed a group of kids wearing the same clothes.

"School uniform..?" She muttered to herself and looked at them. The boys were wearing dark blazers and pants with dark necktie, while girls were wearing dark sailor's suit and white skirt. Everyone also had an emblem of a lion on their breasts.

"What are you going to do after school, Suou?" One of the boys asked.

"I dunno" He anwsered.

"H-hey, you!" Keiko said and walked to them. They were very young, something like 13 years old. The boy with yellow hair looked at her, and raised an eyebrow.

"Y-yes, Miss?" He said.

"C-can you tell me where are we?" Keiko said and blushed "I-I kinda forgot.."

"In Yumeto, Miss..?" He anwsered.

"And what's the time?"

"It's.." He said and took his smartphone "12:11, July 4th 2014.."

Keiko gasped. 2014?! What's going on here?

"T-thank you..!" Keiko said and turned around, not wanting to talk to them anymore. She was about to go away, only to hear someone.

"Hey!" someone shouted "Are you going to the club meeting today?"

"Of course I am!" Keiko heard someone's voice. But that voice.. seemed somehow familliar. She looked at the source of it, only to see a boy in a school uniform, or more likely - his back. The thing that made Keiko curious was the fact that the boy had frizzy black hair. Just like Kasai's.

"He-" before she ended, the boy ran into the building nearby. On top of it, there was a huge sign.

 _ **Yumeto Middle School**_

"Middle School?" Keiko said to herself. She didn't know that there was a Middle School in Yumeto. But now there was no time to think, as she started to ran to the school.

Before she reached the doors, she turned around only to see that the sun is moving _much_ faster.

"What the..?" Keiko muttered, and decided to ask someone "Umm.. Wendy?"

" _Indeed. It's strange_ "

"Thank gosh you're still here" Keiko said to her and could only watch the sun. Suddenly, the time changed and it seemed that there was much later now.

" _The time has changed_ "

"What do you mean by _time has changed_..?!" Keiko thought to herself.

" _It's not 12:11 now. It has to be.. at least few hours later_ "

"B-but how..?!" Keiko said and reminded herself about the Kasai. She quickly entered the school.

The building looked almost exactly the same like Yumeto High, but students were younger, and other minor changes could be seen. How will she find Kasai in this building?

"Club meeting.. Club meeting.." She muttered to herself and headed to the practice building. Great, now only to find the proper club. Keiko started to look through the windows in doors, to find Kasai.

"There he is!" Keiko said and opened the doors to Economics Club room. Few people were already inside, but it seemed that the meeting had already finished. Hopefully, the boy with frizzy dark hair was still here. Keiko moved to the boy and touched his shoulder, only to make him turn around.

"Y-yes..?" He said and turned around. Keiko gasped, when she saw his eyes. They weren't black or damaged. They were.. blue.

"E-excuse me.." Keiko said "W-what's your name?"

"My name?" boy said and raised his eyebrows "I'm Kasai Lakura.. why are you asking?"

"B-because.. I.." Keiko couldn't say a word, as she was confused, why young Kasai had blue eyes. Was he wearing a contact lenses..?

"Hmm..?" Kasai said and started to look around "What the..?"

"What's happening?" Keiko said, worried, only to soon notice that strange black smoke was coming from nowhere.

"I.." Kasai said and coughed "..what's goi- ouch!"

Keiko noticed that a fire appears in the corner of the room "A f-fire?!"

As she said that, the fire started to spread, soon taking the whole room.

"What the hell?!" Keiko yelled and looked at the Kasai, who was reaching the fire extinguisher.

"I've got you!" Kasai said and took the extinguisher, and tried to use it. The foam came out of the tool, but it was useless as even more fire started to appear, surronding them.

"What to do.. what to do..?!" Keiko said and jumped because of the fire slowly burning her. Suddenly, she saw something floating near her. It was a Tarot card, looking exactly like the one Igor showed her. It had a number zero, and a picture of the fool and dog. Something just told her to crush the card with her hand.

She reached the card slowly - despite the fire - and tried to crush it with her right arm. Despite that it was mechanical, so it shouldn't struggle, she noticed that she has to use some force to crash the floating card.

" _Protect me, Wendy!_ " Keiko yelled and crushed the card. The card disappeared in her hands, and soon her own Persona appeared, and covered her.

"Help me..!" Kasai yelled.

"W-Wendy!" Keiko said "Cover Kasai!"

" _I.. can't.._ "

"What?!"

" _S-something.. keeps me from reaching him"_ Wendy said, and tried to cover him again, but it was too late.

"HELP..!"

Keiko could only yell and almost cry as she heard Kasai screaming, but she was also covered by Wendy's big body, protecting her from flames. Soon, darkness surrounded her.

 _Somewhere, Somewhen_

"Ugh.. where am I?" Keiko said and rubbed her forehead. She was lying on the floor in some strange corridor. She looked around, only to notice that she was in hospital.

"Wendy, Wendy!" Keiko yelled in her mind "Tell me you're here!"

" _I'm with you_ "

"W-what the hell happened?!"

" _I don't know.._ " Wendy said " _I just came back to your head, and woke up here.._ "

"Damnit.. what's going o-" before Keiko finished, she saw few nurses pushing the bed on wheels with a patient on it. It was a kid, but he had a bandaged face, making Keiko unable to see who he was.

"Don't block the way!" one of the nurses said and pushed Keiko away. The nurse looked at other nurses "Any information about him?!"

"Yes!" another nurse said "Lakura, Kasai! Only this one survived from fire!"

"O-only one..?!" Keiko said to herself. "Kasai!"

She quickly rushed to the room the nurses entered with him, and looked at his lying body. His face was bandaged, only hair could be seen. Keiko noticed that someone was near him. It turned out to be a doctor.

"Alright.." the doctor said and touched the bandages "I don't think any good thing will come out of this but.. let's see.."

He started to take the bandages away. When his face could be seen, Keiko gasped.

Kasai's face was half red like a fried meat and half black like a burnt skin. The skin near his eyes was completely ripped off, in few place revealing even bones and rotting flesh. And his eyes..

They were black. Completely, like someone just painted her and took the blue color away.

"Ugh.." doctor said and didn't even want to look at him "..disgusting"

"Lakura, Lakura" Nurse said "Can you hear me?"

"Ugh.." Kasai muttered and looked around "W-what the..?"

"You're in a hospital"

"N-no.. t-that.." Kasai said and pointed at the doctor "H-he just appeared!"

"Who..?" doctor anwsered and looked around.

"T-the copy! G-golden eyes!"

"Stop blabbering, you just survived the fire"

"T-the fire?!" Kasai said and looked around "W-what happen-"

Before he anwsered, one of the nurses took the pocket mirror and handed it to him. When he looked at his face, he shrieked.

"W-what the hell is this..?!"

"That's your face. You got burnt pretty well.."

"S-so.. this is how Kasai got black eyes..?!" Keiko said quietly to herself. Suddenly, darkness surrounded them and the nurses and doctors disappeared.

"W-what is going on..?!" Frizzy-haired boy said.

" _You'll never look like before.. anymore.._ "

"W-what..?" Keiko said. She heard that voice before..

"W-who are you?" Kasai said and looked around. Suddenly, strange creatures started to appear around them.

"That monsters.." Keiko thought. They're going to attack them! She quickly opened her hand, and saw a Tarot card forming. She quickly crushed it.

" _Wendy, Kouha!_ "

Wendy made a circle in the air, and a stream of light pierced one of the shadows.

" _You'll never.. never.. you'll never be happy, knowing that this tragedy happened to you.._ "

"T-tragedy.." Kasai said and looked around "it was a tragedy.."

When he said that, shadows started to gather in higher numbers. Keiko inferred that his thoughts must somehow connect to the creatures.

"Don't listen, Kasai!" Keiko yelled "Don't think you're bad here!"

"It was a tragedy.. I'll never be normal again..!"

"No!" Keiko yelled, only to get surrounded by enemies. "Damnit..!"

" _Makouha!_ "

Just as Keiko ordered, her Persona made a bigger circle and this time, a lot of light appeared and started to pierce every creature around. It allowed Keiko to feel safe for a while, but she also felt very tired and weak. She quickly moved to Kasai.

"Kasai! Kasai, snap out of it!"

" _Whatever you'll do.. you're always be disfigured.._ "

"Listen!" Keiko yelled, but Kasai didn't hear her.

"My face.." He said and looked and touched his face "..it's gone.. it's one forever..!"

Shadows started to gather again.

"Crap! Kasai, LISTEN TO ME!"

"I'll forever be disfig-" He couldn't finish as Keiko slapped him, and went closer to his body.

"Calm down!" She yelled and touched his shoulder "Don't let that voice turn your mind into chaos!"

"W-what..?!"

"I've experienced it too!" Keiko said and rubbed his arm "Why do you think this voice is appearing?"

"V-voice? T-that voice.."

"Yes! It's trying to make you fall into despair!"

"I.. I don't want to fall into despair!"

"Kasai.." Keiko said "..maybe if you look bad now, I'm sure you'll be better soon. I just know it. Just please.. don't think that it can't be better"

"S-so it's.. it's.." He muttered.

"What..?"

"I see now.. this is a.. bad memory"

"Exactly!" Keiko said and stood up "What is what are you seeing now?"

"It's.. **it is a dream!** "

Just as he said that, the light appeared and they arrived back at that strange rock-made place. Kasai looked normal.

"Where am I..?" He muttered and stood up. Keiko noticed that there are shadows all around them. She quickly crushed the Fool card.

" _Perso-_ "

Before she finished, one of the shadows used fire, burning her body a bit. Kasai shrieked, and almost ran away.

" _They're using fire. I don't think I'll do much here_ "

"Damnit, Wendy.." Keiko said and then turned to Kasai who was.. smiling "Kasai..?"

"The fire.." Kasai muttered and looked at the ground "So I see.. I have to defeat that fir- argh!" he yelled and grabbed his head, something giving him pain.

"Kasai!"

Kasai was swirling on the ground, feeling like his head is going to blow up. Suddenly, the pain stopped.

"How I can defeat fire.." He muttered.

"What..?" Keiko raised her eyebrows.

"The water.. I like water.." He said, and then opened his hand. Then, another card appeared. It had a roman number 9 on it, and there was a picture with old man holding a lanthern.

Keiko smiled "Do it, Kasai"

"I call you.. I order you to appear.." He muttered.

He crushed the card.

" _Persona!_ "

Blue light surrounded him, and when it disappeared, Keiko saw another creature. The creature had eyes covered with a white piece of cloth, and was wearing a japenese red warriors' suit.

"W-woah!" Keiko said and took a few steps back. Another Persona?!

"I'll extinguish the every fire, with the force of water!" Kasai said and pointed at the shadows " _Zatoichi, Malaqua!_ "

The creature turned, making a circle with it's sword uncovered. Then, Zatoichi pointed at the shadows, and the water started to came out of nowhere. Keiko could hear a strange sounds of fire getting extinguished, only to see that the enemies disappeared. The water worked.

"Ugh.." Kasai said and collapsed, tired.


	7. Chapter 7: Manifasting

"Kasai..!" Keiko said, only to notice him falling onto the ground, tired heavily. "W-Wendy, is he alive?!"

" _I'm not sure, but I can definitely feel that he's breathing_ "

"Thank gosh" She said, relieved, and tried to pick him up. Thankfully Kasai was pretty light because of his thin body, so Keiko wasn't struggling while carrying him.

"Where to go now..?" Keiko muttered to herself, and looked around. It didn't seem that there is a Waterfall-like exit from here.

" _I remember that when you entered the Waterfall every time, you were appearing in the same place. Maybe you will start from the place you were appearing after entering the Waterfall, and then turn around and go forward?_ "

Keiko nodded "That's a good idea" she said and tried to find the place where she and Kasai appeared when they entered the Waterfall.

It turned out to be a some kind of _stage_ , where the green sky could be easily seen, giving the place very nervous and scary atmosphere.

Suddenly, she heard Kasai's mumbling.

"W-where am I..?" He said and then slid from her hands, landing on the ground "Ugh!"

"A-are you alright?!" Keiko said, and sat near him.

"So.." Kasai said "..this is behind our Waterfall..?"

"I'm not sure, but it looks we're appearing here after entering the Waterfall"

"Looks.. unnatural" he anwsered and stood up "We should get out of here"

"Yeah.. but how.." Keiko muttered and rubbed her soles. Because of not taking her shoes, she was had only socks on her feet, causing the walk to be uncomfortable.

"There's no time to complain about comfiness" Kasai looked around.

"If I could just fly, not walk.."

" _I can always help_ "

"H-huh?!" Keiko muttered "You can..?"

" _I can be summoned, so it means I can affect the matter here_ "

"Nasura-san?" Kasai said and raised his eyebrows "Who are you talking to..?"

"T-that's hard to explain.."

" _I think he'll understand_ " Wendy whispered " _He's got his own Persona, so he has to talk to.. Zatoichi?_ "

"I think that's how he called him" Keiko awnsered and looked at Kasai "Can you talk to Zatoichi?"

"Oh, you can too?" Kasai smiled, and took a deep breath "Yes, but I don't think Wendy and Zatoichi can talk to each other"

"In any way.." Keiko said "How about we'll just order our Personas to carry us?"

"Really? That's.. interesting" Kasai said and opened his fist " _Persona_ "

Sadly, instead of Hermit card, an empty tarot card appeared "That's sad.."

"What happened?" She asked.

"I don't think he'll appear.." He said and stretched himself. Keiko was about to make strange conclusions.

" _He's just drained. You still have energy, but Kasai has just accepted a Persona, it's a huge energy drain_ "

"Hmm.. will you help both me and him?"

" _If that's your order_ " Wendy anwsered, and Keiko summoned her without crushing a card. Her doll-like Persona just _sticked out_ of her body like a soul leaving the body.

Wendy was almost three times bigger than Keiko, being 15 feet tall.

"Take us, Wendy" Keiko ordered.

Wendy spread her arms covered in long pink sweater's sleeves, and looked at both teenagers without saying anything. For Kasai, Wendy's eyes made from buttons looked kind of scary, and he quickly noticed that even when Wendy was saying something, her mouth - which looked like drawn with red crayon - wasn't moving, only smiling.

Without explaining, Keiko ordered Wendy to lower herself. Keiko walked to her Persona, and moved to her chest, and Wendy immidiately started to held her other self, by pressing Keiko to her chest with her arm, hugging her.

"H-how..?!" Kasai raised his eyebrows.

"If you don't want to make your legs burn from all this walking, just come here" Keiko said and patted Wendy's forearm "She won't bite, unless I'll would want her to do so"

"O-okay.." Kasai gulped and moved to Wendy, who pressed him against her body. Both teenagers were being hugged closely as Keiko's Persona started to slowly fly, keeping them close.

"I.. didn't think that Persona can do things like that" He said, as Wendy was slowly flying towards the place they probably came from.

"Me too" Keiko said "But hey, at least we won't be so tired" Keiko said, despite the fact that every second Wendy was being used, she could feel her energy slowly going away.

 _Later_

"Hey, there's something!" Kasai said and pointed in the front. Keiko could notice that there is.. a waterfall. It also had a lake around it. Could it mean..?

"Maybe we should go through it..?" Keiko muttered, and ordered Wendy to place them near the lake. Her Persona nodded, and did what she want, only to soon shrank and enter Keiko's body.

"I'm not so sure about that.." Kasai muttered "But guess we don't have any other option"

"This time.." Keiko said "You'll go first"

"No!"

" _Per.._ "

"Alright, alright..!" he muttered and entered the water, only to go through the water wall. When he disappeared, Keiko could only take a few heavy breaths and go through the Waterfall too.

When she passed through it, she noticed she is in the Yumeto Park again. Kasai was already leaving the water.

"We're here.." He said and started to breathe heavily.

"Yeah.. how long were we there?"

"I don't kno-" He said and then looked at the sky. Kasai took his smartphone, and checked the time.

"5:21 P.M?!"

"Really..?!" Keiko said and took her shoes which - thankfully - were still lying on the ground near the lake.

"Guess I'll have to go home now" Kasai said and also took his shoes on "See you tomorrow"

"Hey" Keiko said. Kasai stopped walking "This world is kind of strange.. we should talk about it tomorrow. Is it alright?"

"Yes.. bye then" Kasai said and walked away, leaving Keiko alone. The girl yawned quietly, and also decided to head home. Then, she noticed something.

Near the lake, there was a big blue door floating!

"What the..?" Keiko said and rubbed her eyes. Then, she reminded herself about the Velvet Room and the key. When she thought about it, magically the key appeared in her hand. She quickly used it to open the door, and when she entered the room, the light surrounded her, only to soon wake up on the couch.

Igor was sitting behind the large wooden desk "Greetings, the eye-opener"

"Eye-opener?" Keiko raised her eyebrows. Sophia went out of nowhere and bowed.

"As the chosen one, you will have to become the _eye-opener_ " Sophia said "Allow me to explain"

Keiko nodded.

"As we have noticed, you've already discovered _**the Dreamworld**_ " Sophia explained "This place contains the door to everyone's dreams. Usually, the doors are closed, protecting the dreams from invaders"

"Invaders?"

"Yes. These monsters are entering people's dreams, causing their normal dreams to become a nightmare"

"Alright.." Keiko said "..but everyone has a nightmare.. why it's so special?"

"That's because of the invaders. They break the doors, invade someone's dreams and pull the sleeping people into despair"

"Into despair.." Keiko said "you mean like, dying in sleep?"

"You will find soon enough" Sophia said

"But now, we'll have to talk about why are you special, and why are you our guest" Igor said and grinned "Wendy, is your other self, but you are also the owner of the _Wild Card_ "

"Wild Card?"

"Because of the Wild Card, Wendy is not the only Persona you can use during your journey" Igor said and then lied 22 cards on the table, each of them being a different arcana. He pointed at the Fool's card "This is your arcana.. the Fool. Of course it doesn't mean that you're foolish, but you are like a number zero" He said "Empty, yet holding infinite possibilities"

"I think I understand.. and what about the other cards?"

Sophia pointed at the Hermit "This is the Hermit, and you know the one - his name is Kasai Lakura, and the bond you created with him, gave you the power of Hermit"

"Bond?"

"The stronger your bonds are, the stronger your Personas get" Igor said and took the cards "These bonds.. will help you through your journey"

Keiko nodded, and then decided to leave the Velvet Room, while Igor greeted her farewell.

When she reached the home, Keiko immidiately heard Kega barking "It's okay, I'm here" she said while knocking.

 _Later_

"Woof!" Kega said and rubbed his body against Keiko's leg, while she was stroking his fur.

"How was it today?" Tadao asked and took two bowls for him and his daughter "You returned quite later than before"

"I.." Keiko tried to find an excuse "..decided to learn some at the library"

"Learning, huh?" Tadao said "That's nice. Want to eat a dinner? You must be hun-"

"If it's not a problem.. I would eat something"

"Of course it's not a problem" He said and started to cook "After I had to start to live alone again, I had to learn few things about cleaning, cooking, rocking.. things that wives mostly do"

"Was it because of..?"

"Yes, because of Yuki" Tadao said and filled the huge pot with water, and put it on gas.

Keiko didn't want to talk to him about that. Mostly because of that accident. She was still thinking that happened because of him, because if he didn't leave the family, Keiko wouldn't talk to her mother while driving, causing the accident not to happen.

"What are you cooking?" Keiko asked nervously as she felt that something smells good.

"A tonjiru" Tadao said and started to cut the pieces of pork for the soup.

"Pork and vegetables? Okay" Keiko nodded and waited patiently.

"and miso" Tadao added while cooking.

 _Later_

"How does it taste?" Tadao asked "I've migh-"

"It's delicious" Keiko said, tasting the soup. The warmth of the food quickly spreaded all over her mouth, and the pork was tasting great.

"Oh, glad you think so" Tadao said and smiled "Mine is already finished. When you'll finish too, just leave the bowl"

"Thank you" Keiko said and bowed her head thankfully.

"It's alright" He said and started to wash his empty bowl, while Kega lied himself near Keiko's legs.

"Arf! Arf!"

"Okay.." Keiko said petting the german shepherd.

She yawned quietly.

"You're tired?"

"I.. I might be. I-I was learning a lot today in the library"

Tadao smiled, and took her bowl "Go get some sleep, alright?"

"Uh-huh.." Keiko said and slowly stood up, making her way to her room. She closed the doors, took her uniform off and took her grey nightgown on.

"Hey, Wendy.."

" _What is it?_ "

"Can you.. like, appear in this world?" She said while lying herself on the bed.

" _I.. don't know_ "

"But what if I would like to call you? _Persona!_ " Keiko said, only to notice that no tarot card appeared.

" _I'm with you, I don't know why you would like me to appear here.. normally"_

"Maybe because I'm.. lonely? Kega went to Tadao's room" Keiko said and imagined that she is still trying to summon Wendy.

" _Just talk with me_ "

"You're right.." Keiko muttered "..but still.."

"If that's your choice.." She heard Wendy whispering, and the voice came from her left. Keiko quickly turned around, only to notice that she.. is standing next to her bed.

"W-what?!" Keiko said "You can do that?!"

"I'm you, so you'll see me whenever you are" Her Persona said, being the same height as Keiko, because otherwise she would crush the ceiling "You ordered me to do it"

"Y-yeah.. you're right.." Keiko said "Will anyone see you"

"I'm you, and only you. Like you're me, and only me" Wendy said and sat near her bed.

"That's strange.. but if it looks like that.. stay here" Keiko said and fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 8: The Brother

Wendy nodded, and just stayed near Keiko. She wasn't appearing physically, but in Keiko's mind, not making Keiko having to use her energy to see her here, as Wendy was just part of her, her other self.

Hopefully for Keiko, her dreams weren't nightmares now, as the _invaders_ weren't in her mind anymore. Thank gosh.

 _April 9th_

 _6:38 A.M_

Keiko woke up by herself, and looked through the window. The sun was slowly rising up, and the clock was showing that it was rather early now. But Keiko was used to this, waking up early. Maya was always trying to make her sleep longer, but Keiko was always waking up before her, and after an hour Maya could notice her making a breakfast for everyone.

But Tadao was already awake, as Keiko found him sipping his coffee.

"Morning" He said and smiled warmly.

"Morning" Keiko said and rubbed her eyes. She quickly turned right and entered the bathroom, only to take a shower.

When she returned, Tadao was already frying something.

"Will you eat with jam or.."

"Jam, if it's not a problem" Keiko said and sat on the chair near the table, and Kega immidiately ran to her.

"Woof! Woof!"

"Okay.. there you go.." Keiko said and scratched him behind ears. German shepherd barked again and rubbed his body against her legs.

"Arf!"

Keiko smiled, and soon started to eat her breakfast.

 _Later_

Keiko shrieked when suddenly someone patted her shoulder.

"It's me, dimwit" She heard Kasai's voice.

"H-hey, who are you calling a dimwit..?!"

He sighed "Any way.. what are we going to do about this Waterfall world?"

"I.." Keiko muttered. She knew about these " _invaders_ " but when she'll say it, Kasai will get suspicious how does she know that "..don't know, actually"

"Hm.." Kasai hummed "I guess we should check what can we find there, then"

"W-what?!"

"We have our.. _Personas_ , right? So we can protect ourselves"

"I-I guess you're right.."

"Now, I think we should talk about this la-"

"What are you talking about, guys?"

They both gasped and quickly turned around, only to notice Mayumi's smiling face.

"Sheesh.. if you don't want to tell me, it's okay"

"Y-yeah.." Keiko sighed, thankfully Mayumi didn't hear them.

"I saw you hanging out with Kasai yesterday!" Mayumi giggled.

"W-what's that suppose to mean..?!" Kasai frowned.

"He was just showing me around.. that's all" Keiko explained.

"Okay" Mayumi said and winked, and Keiko turned red.

"..let's just go to school" Keiko muttered and moved forward. Mayumi and Kasai sighed and followed her.

 _11:36 A.M_

 _Short break_

"How can you just not pay attention to these assholes?" Mayumi said and rubbed her neck.

"Somehow, I guess" Kasai said "..and somehow they don't scold me for it"

Mayumi moved to Keiko "Lucky bastard.." she whispered.

"In any wa-" before Kasai ended, he heard someone just tripped and fell on the ground. Everyone quickly turned around and noticed their homeroom teacher, Ken Rouno, lying on the ground.

"Rouno?!" Mayumi said.

"Rouno-sensei..!" Kasai yelled and moved to him "Sir, are you alright?!"

Their teacher seemed to tripped because of not paying attention and just being tired.

"It's alright, Lakura.." Rouno said and stood up, yawning "I.. guess I didn't have enough sleep.. thanks" he added and walked away.

"And he's not even going to look at him?" Mayumi said "Bastard.. I wish he could finally go and die"

Kasai chuckled and Keiko raised her eyebrows "Like that would happen fast" he said and sighed.

Keiko could only think why someone would like to wish someone death.

"Guys, I'll be going home" Mayumi said. Her friends raised their eyebrows.

"W-why?" Keiko asked. Mayumi yawned.

"It's not that hard to skip lessons.. and I'm tired.." she added and stretched herself "Have fun with that douchebag"

"O-okay..?" Keiko said and returned to the classroom. Kasai could only follow her.

 _13:05_

 _Dinner break_

"Seriously, how can you eat so much?" Keiko said, as Kasai seemed to eat even fuster and with more motivation.

"Maybe after I stopped having nightmares" He anwsered and wiped his mouth with napkin.

"Nightmares?"

"Yes.." Kasai said "..before I defeated that strange.. things.. in my dream, I was constantly having nightmares of that fire. Really, I was waking up in the middle of the night, sweating buckets"

"A-alright" Keiko asked "Why do you eat so much?"

"Maybe because I don't want to look like a skeleton" Kasai said "Doctors said it's very easy for me to lose so much weight that it will weaken me a lot. So I have to keep on eating a lot"

He took another bite "So, I guess I can consider that as a hobby. How about you?"

Keiko swallowed the bite of a fried chicken "M-me?"

"Yeah. Something you can do well, or you just like doing something"

"I.. well.." Keiko said and blushed "I can sew well"

"Sewing?" He said and chuckled quietly "How did you learn it? Did your mothe-"

"A-actually, no" Keiko anwsered "W-when I was in the orphanage, I often had to repair my clothes, as they tended to destroy very easily"

"Hey, that's actually useful" Kasai said and looked at his uniform. He was wearing a blue cardigan with Yumeto High's logo over a white shirt "These are very durable, but who knows how much exactly"

Keiko nodded, and soon noticed something strange.

A strange card, with a old man holding a lantern was floating between Keiko and Kasai, only to disappear quickly. Then, she heard strange voice, and recognized that it was Sophia's voice.

 _I am thou, thou art I,_

 _Thou has gained a new power,_

 _With gaining the power of the another Arcana,_

 _Thou is taking a step forward in learning the art of recognition._

 _To thee I shall present, the Hermit Arcana_

"What is that?" Keiko said

"Hmm? What?"

Then she realized someone's words.

" _The stronger your bonds are, the stronger your Personas get"_

"N-nothing" Keiko muttered and finished her meal.

 _April 12nd_

 _3:24 P.M_

"Exhausting" Kasai muttered and stretched himself.

"What should we do about that Dreamworld?" Keiko said as they were going to Oishi to eat something "We haven't talked about it"

"Oh, you're right. I guess we'll just have to wait.. I'm really amazed how strange it looks, but still we don't even know what could happen there"

"I.. think I have a theory" Keiko said "T-these shadows.. they attack someone's dreams"

"You think so?" Kasai raised his eyebrows "But what do you want to do then? Kill them all?"

"W-we're not even sure how to check are someone's dreams attacked" She said and sighed "But something tells me to check this place.."

" _Maybe you'll find something there_ " Wendy said

Keiko turned around, only to notice that half-transparent Wendy was walking behind her.

"You're really here, aren't you?" Keiko thought

" _Ye- who is that? He looks funny_ "

Keiko looked, only to see.. Kasai's Persona. Walking near him.

"K-Kasai..?!"

"Wha-" when he turned to her, he noticed Keiko's Persona.

" **How can you even see my Persona?!** " they both yelled.

"W-woah.." Keiko said and looked at Zatoichi. He wasn't saying anything, and his eyes were covered with a piece of cloth. "Is he going to say something"

" _It isn't necessary_ " she heard masculine voice. Despite the fact that it was Zatoichi, his mouth wasn't moving.

"See?" Kasai chuckled and looked at Wendy "Looks like we can see each others' Personas"

"Y-yeah.." Keiko said and smiled at Wendy, who anwsered with nodding.

"One Yumebowl, please!" Kasai said as they entered Oishi.

"Damn you, Lakura!" Chief yelled.

 _4:19 P.M_

 _The Waterfall_

"You know, this time we shouldn't take our shoes off" Kasai said as he quickly entered the shallow lake. Keiko nodded and did the same.

They entered the Waterfall, only to notice that their bodies weren't wet because of the water "Finally something happy about this world" Kasai muttered.

"We should search for something.." Keiko said. Something was giving her a feeling that this place wanted her here, or at least something important was there.

"You think so?" Kasai said and moved forward "Hopefully we know where to return later"

Keiko nodded and followed him.

The place seemed like it was infinite. The whole Dreamworld was looking rather scary, but Keiko wasn't scared - she was determined, to find _something_.

 _20 minutes later_

"I think we should return.." Kasai said. After 20 minutes of searching, they found nothing unwonted or strange at all.

"Hmm.." Keiko muttered "Maybe we'll check our _doors_ to the dreams?"

"These doors?" Kasai said "Oh, well.." he muttered, but nodded.

When they arrived, they noticed someone's sounds.

"S-so this is how it looks.." they heard strange voice, belonging to most probably a boy.

"Who's there?!" Kasai said and ran to Keiko's doors. They both suddenly saw someone.

They saw a middle-height boy, trying to recognize where he is. He had brown hair which was strangely shining, like he was using a hairspray. His eyes were also shining, but they were blue. The boy was looking rather skinny but still more healthy than Kasai. His outfit consisted of white jacket over grey shirt, and navy blue pants.

"Huh..?!" Boy said as he saw Kasai "W-who are you?"

"I would like to ask the same question!" Kasai said and moved closer.

"I.. I.." Boy said and rubbed the sides of his head "..I don't know"

"How do you not know?!"

"Hush, Lakura!" Keiko said, as she noticed something was off. The boy had rather unordinary look, like he was using a lot of cosmetics, yet he also seemed natural somehow.

The boy looked at Keiko "W-who are you g-guys?!"

"Listen, we want to know the same" Keiko said "How did you get there?"

"I.. just walked out" Boy said and pointed at Keiko's doors. Keiko raised her eyebrows.

"T-that's my room!" Keiko said "Someone locked you the-"

"No!" boy yelled "I.." he looked at Keiko "I.. who are you..? T-tell me"

"I'm Keiko.. Keiko Nasura" Keiko said, flustered.

"Keiko.. I.. why do I think I.." He said and looked at her "..don't know much about myself.. but somehow I know that I'm.."

"You are who?"

"I'm.. I'm a brother" boy said and raised his eyebrows.

"A brother?" Keiko said. This boy had a brother or sister? If he came out of Keiko's room.. Keiko never had a brother or sister.

"Y-yes.. I'm.. a brother"

"A brother of who?" Keiko said.

"I-I don't really know.." boy looked around "C-can you just.. call me.. brother?"

"Call you _brother_?" Keiko said while Kasai raised his eyebrows "Okay.. but first lets get you out of here" she added and asked him to follow her.

The boy nodded and followed her.

When they came out of the Waterfall, Keiko noticed that the boy is not here.

"Where is he?" Keiko muttered.

"I don't know..!" Kasai looked around. No one came out besides him and Keiko.

"Something.. something tells me that I know him"

"You know him?"

"Yes.. strange.." Keiko said and moved away "I.. we should talk about this tomorrow"

"But that boy..!"

"I know.. but something just tells me that he is connected with me"


	9. Chapter 9: The Sister

Keiko was running quickly to her house. Who was that boy? Why he called himself _brother_? And mostly - **why he left Keiko's** _ **room**_ **?**

There were too many questions, but Keiko had to at least take some information from the man that could possible knew it. The one who was probably a drunk, and cheating scumbag - Tadao Nasura.

"..father!" Keiko yelled as she opened the door. It was hard to make her angry, mostly because of her innocent personality, but when Kega who was lying near noticed her expression, he just whimpered quietly and moved back, while Tadao was watching TV while sipping his coffee.

"Huh?" Tadao said and placed his mug on the table, and stood up "What happened?"

"I have to ask you!" Keiko said and quickly ran to him, as he raised his eyebrows.

"Okay.. why so fast? Is this something importa-"

" **It is!** " She yelled.

"W-woah, slow down" Tadao said and pointed at the couch "Have a seat"

Keiko nervously sat on the couch, looking around.

"What happened?" He said as she started to prepare a green tea for Keiko "Problems at scho-"

"Was there anyone besides me?"

Tadao raised his eyebrows and turned around to her "What do you mean..?"

"Anyone besides me" Keiko said "In the family! Am I your only child?!"

Tadao looked flustered, as he was wondering why she asks him something ridiculous like that "W-why are you even asking me that?!"

"I.. I.." Keiko said and tried to make a lie. She couldn't simply tell him that she found someone calling himself _brother_ "..It's about Yuki, mother!"

"What did she tell you?" Tadao said and walked to Keiko, and gave her a mug of green tea.

Keiko quickly took a sip of her tea "M-mom.. she was just always telling me who you are.." she said and lowered her head "An always drunk man, abusing her and cheating on her everyday.."

Tadao gasped "W-what?!" he said and rubbed his eyes "Yuki.. you little.."

"Was that true?!" Keiko said, now feeling something other than curiousity - it was pure rage towards her father "Tell me!"

"N-no, I wasn't!" Tadao said and kneeled down "Yuki.. you piece of.. Keiko.. I'm sorry"

"For what?" Keiko said boldly.

"If I would just knew.. that Yuki was lying so much.."

Then Keiko understood few things. Why her mother didn't want to talk about him, always making an excuse about what he was like?

"Father.." She said and kneeled "..get up"

"Da-" he said and coughed "I mean.."

"I'm.. I'm not angry. You can call me like that.. because I'm your daughter.. and you're my father"

Tadao nodded, and stood up, hugging her.

"Now.." Keiko said "..why you left my mother? Did you have any other children? Please, tell me"

Her father sat on the couch, and started to explain.

"Keiko.. I'll show you something" He said and then stood up again, only to return with a photo, which he handed to his daughter.

 _A middle-aged man with brown short hair was rocking a child in his hands, while Keiko's mother was right next to him. While Yuki Nasura was looking at the camera, Tadao was looking only at little Keiko, smiling warmly._

"I.. I saw it before" Keiko said.

"That's right" Tadao anwsered "..we were both happy of you. We named you _Keiko_ \- the name which means blessed, or lucky child. I suggested it to her, because I thought that the gods themselves gave you to us. But after few months, your mother.."

"What?" Keiko nervously took a sip of tea.

"She started to leave the house very early, not even caring about her little daughter, only to come back soon while you were already sleeping.. she was feeling woozy, and I couldn't imagine that she was drinking, or something else.." He said and then stood up, and gave her something. It was a file filled with papers.

"Are these..?"

"Divorce papers" He said and sighed "..I knew that I can't help a child whose mother doesn't even want to take care of her.. I tried my best to get the parental rights, but.. I failed" Keiko heard a quiet sob.

"Father.."

"I couldn't believe that I could take care of you six years sooner!" He yelled, and suddenly Keiko hugged him.

"Father" Keiko said "I'm.. I'm glad I'm here.. don't feel guilty.. mother is dead, but I'm glad you're still alive"

Then, Tadao heard a quiet yawn.

"You're sleepy?"

"I'm.. not.." Keiko said but she was getting more and more tired "Father.. am I the only child?"

Tadao nodded "Even if you're not.. believe me, you're my only daughter, but I don't have to say you're Yuki's only one"

"I.. I believe you" Keiko said and closed her eyes.

"Sleeping while sitting or talking to someone.. you haven't changed a bit" Tadao said and picked her up, only to lie her on the bed.

 _April 13th_

 _2:47 A.M_

"You.. you have very beautiful room"

Keiko quickly opened her eyes as she heard someone's voice. It wasn't Tadao or even Kasai.

"Who's that?!" She said and stood up, looking around nervously.

While looking around, she saw someone standing in the corner. She slowly took her smartphone and turned the flashlight on, only to see that..

It was that boy. The _brother_. He was looking around, seeming curious.

"Y-you here?!" Keiko said "W-what.. what are you doing in my room?!"

"I.. don't know really.." he anwsered and moved forward "..how did I even get here?"

Minako tried to push him away from her, only to see that her hands went through him, like he was a ghost.

"What the heck?!" they both yelled.

" _J-just.. just like with Wendy..!_ " Keiko thought to herself. Who was that _brother_?

"G-go away!" Keiko said and moved back.

Suddenly the boy's figure started to distort, like a computer screen's glitch. When Keiko moved a bit closer, his body went back to normal.

"Why I.." boy muttered and moved to her "..you are.. why do I feel like you're important to me..?"

"Maybe because you went out of my room in that world?!" Keiko said.

Suddenly the boy kneeled down and started to shook his head "Who.. who am I..?"

"Who are you..?" Keiko said and kneeled to him.

"K-Kou.." boy muttered "My name.."

"My name is.. **Kou Machita** "

"Kou Machita?" Keiko said "B-but.. why are you in my ro-" she stopped when she realized something.

" _I'm a brother_ "

" _Why.. why I was in this room?_ "

" _..believe me, you're my only daughter, but I don't have to say you're Yuki's only one_ "

"Are you.." Keiko said "my brother?"

"Brother.." Kou said and looked at her "Keiko.. Keiko Nasura.. I somehow knew it way before.."

"My mother.. my mother had another child..?" Keiko said and formed her hands into fists.

"H-hey, I did nothing wro-"

"It's not you" Keiko said and walked to him "I.. guess I have to welcome you somehow.. Kou" Keiko said "Why I can't even push you away?"

"I.. don't know" Kou said "But I feel like I'm with you everywhere.. whenever you go in this world.. I'm there too"

Keiko almost fainted. Was the Kou that and that guy was his ghost? No, it couldn't be.

"Kou.." Keiko said "..I guess it makes me your sister"

"S-sister?" Kou said and then smiled nervously "I have my own sister?"

"It looks like" Keiko said "But now.. can I finally sleep? Please"

Kou nodded and bowed "Y-yes, Keiko-san!" he said and then left the room by going through the wall.

Keiko lied herself on the bed.

" _First my father tells me that Yuki might had another child, now it seems that this boy is my brother.. half or alive.. how did he even get into my room?_ " she thought, and decided to close her eyes and go asleep. She had to visit the Waterfall tomorrow.

 **Hi there! I'm not used to writing long chapters, because before writing my fanfic, my other books (on Wattpad for example) had mostly 1000 words in chapters. In any way, this one is pretty short, but I'm sure that the next one will be longer.**


	10. Chapter 10: Fusion Spell

Keiko could only ask herself why she was oblivious to Kou, as she now knew that they're family. There was only a question - why he was a ghost?

When Kou was in the Dreamworld, he had a body and could physically interact with the others, but in normal world, it seemed that he was transparent, just like Wendy. Hopefully Keiko didn't think that Kou would be her Persona.

 _April 13th_

 _4:12 P.M_

"W-wait, he's with you?!" Kasai said and looked at Wendy. He could see Keiko's Persona, but he couldn't see Kou Machita.

"It looks like.." Keiko said "..I'm just very curious.. is he.. real?"

Kou, who as a ghost, was walking near his sister could only lower his head, sad a bit by her words. Was he real? Was he really a Kou Machita, or something another? And **why he appeared in her room**?

"Keiko-san.." Kou said, and Keiko turned her head to him.

" _Don't bother he-_ " Wendy wanted to say but got stopped by Keiko

"It's okay, Wendy" She said and looked at the ghost "..what is it?"

"Keiko-san" Kou said "Am I.. bothering you?"

Keiko sighed "I.. won't know it until I'll find out why you can't interact with us" she said "We're going to the Waterfall, and we'll find something about you, Kou"

"Thank you.."

"It's alright" Keiko said and tried to pat his shoulder, despite the fact that her hand went through his body.

"Zatoichi, can you see him?" Kasai asked. Both him and his Persona had ability to see people's reflections.

" _No_ " His Persona anwsered.

"Eh.." Kasai sighed "Let's ju-"

His voice got stopped as everyone suddenly heard an ambulance, which was driving really fast.

"An ambulance?" Kasai said and frowned.

"What is it?" Keiko said.

"Nothing.. I was just curious what could happen" He said and moved forward "We should go to the Waterfall"

 _10 minutes later_

 _The Waterfall_

"Can you finally see him?" Keiko said and pointed at her brother, who was sighing from relief.

"Yes.. I can" Kasai anwsered and touched him "..this is really strange.. so you met him when he woke you up in the night?"

Keiko blushed "Y-yeah.."

"I wanted to leave this house immidiately" Kou said "But then I felt like I can't.. like it was pulling me to you"

Kasai chuckled "Looks like you literally have a bond with her"

"S-shuddup.." Keiko muttered and walked to the boy with shining hair "..can you recall anything, despite your name?"

"No.." Kou said and kneeled down "..I'm sorry, Keiko-san but I can't.."

"It's alright.." She sighed and grabbed his hand to make him stand up "..I talked to my father"

"Yeah?" Kasai said "Did he have any other chi-"

"Not him" Keiko said "My.. my mother could have"

Kasai gasped.

"Y-you don't mean.."

"I'm not sure, okay?!" Keiko yelled "..a-at least I know that my father did want to take care of me.. but my mother got the parental laws"

Keiko and Kasai sighed, while Kou could only look around and then move to Keiko.

"N-Nasura-san.." He said "..we don't have time to care about thi-"

"SHUT UP!"

Kou shrieked and then moved back, as Keiko was on the edge of tears.

"So she was lying to me?!" Keiko looked at the sky "..crap.." she took a deep breath.

"Keiko" Kasai said and walked to her "..I respect that, but we have bigger problems. We should check your doors, right?"

"Y-yeah.." Keiko formed her hands into fists "..let's go"

They knew where Keiko door was, as they quickly reached it and Keiko tried to open the door.

She gasped when she noticed that nothing is inside. Pure darkness. Hopefully she didn't enter the room.

"W-what the..?!"

"I.. don't think we have to worry" Kasai said.

"Why do you think so..?"

"Our nightmares were there, right?" He said "So that means we don't have any.. at least"

Trio sighed, and Keiko closed the door.

"I'm still thinking what can we do about him.." she muttered and looked at Kou "..but something makes me ask you.."

"W-what is it, Keiko-san?" Kou said worried a bit.

"If now you have to be near me in the real world.. why before I met you you have to stay in this world? Did you just stick to me?"

"I-I don't know" Kou said "Maybe because after I felt that you're connected to me.. why.. why I even was there?"

"Like we would know" Kasai said and sighed "Can we find something he-"

He stopped when everyone saw that something was going on.

On one of the walls they saw another door, but this time no one opened it from outside. They got opened from the inside, with large force.

"The heck..?" Kasai said and moved forward, but Keiko grabbed him.

"Look, shadows!" she whispered, and pointed at the doors. Strange goo-like creatures started to come out of someone's room, growling loudly.

"What are they doing in someone's room.." Kou muttered, and everyone noticed that shadows just saw them.

"Oh my fu-" Kasai said and sighed "There's not too many of them, Keiko"

"Right, we sho-" she stopped when suddenly she got hit by a strange spell. Black-red stream of dust and energy hit her, but this time she felt like the pain was 10 times bigger than normal attack, like someone just hit her weak spot.

"Your weakness!" Kou yelled.

"W-weakness..?!" Keiko said as she tried to stood up.

"Wendy uses bless skills, right?" Kou said, despite that no one ever told him about what skills Wendy uses "You just got hit by a curse spell!"

"My weakness.. so how I'm going to get them?!"

"Count on me!" Kasai said and opened his hand, and the Hermit card started to flow on it. Instead of crushing it in his hand, he performed a karate chop on it.

" _Come, Zatoichi!_ "

Blind warrior showed up in full grace, wielding a giant katana.

"Water spells.." Keiko said, knowing that Kasai could do much more in that situation.

" _Cleave!_ "

Zatoichi aimed his sword at the nearest shadow, and rushed onto it, only to slash the enemy into pieces.

"T-there's still lot of them!" Kou said and hid behind the rock, as he didn't have a Persona.

"I can't fight alone..!" Kasai said as he felt a bit tired "Keiko, try to attack the ones that aren't using curse spells!"

She quickly stood up "Got it" Keiko said and formed her hand " _I've been waiting, Wendy_ "

" _Kouha!_ " They heard Wendy's voice as the doll-like Persona spun, and a stream of light pierced the shadow that was nearest to Keiko.

After casting few spells, Keiko noticed that there is still a small group of shadows.

"Let's finish them" She said, but before she summoned a Persona, Kou stopped her.

"Try together!" Her brother said "Use a Fusion Spell!"

"Fusion Spell..?" Keiko said "Watch out!"

Just before one of the shadows casted Agi on Kasai, Wendy blocked it by going between the shadow and Zatoichi.

"Y-you know, two coordinated attacks at the same time, that will kill them easily.. I think" Kou said sweating buckets.

"Let's tr-" Kasai said and dodged a lightning spell "You ready?" he said to Keiko.

"I would say the same thing" Keiko said and formed her hand, as the Fool's card appeared.

" _Zatoichi, Malaqua!_ "

" _Wendy, Makouha!_ "

Both Personas nodded and started to fly around the shadows, making few laps around them. After a while, Wendy and Zatoichi, stopped, only to cast their respective spells. Wendy spun, and the weak light surrounded the shadows, while Zatoichi pointed his katana at them, and medium amount of water started to gather around the enemies.

When the light and the water disappeared, shadows were gone.

"W-wow.. that was easy.." Kasai said.

"Yes.. but I feel tired.." Keiko muttered.

"You were doing it at the same time, you know" Kou said "We should name it!"

"Name it?" Keiko said and raised her eyebrows, somehow annoyed.

"LIke, _the Waterlight!_ Or.."

"Nah, that ain't good" Kasai said and started to hum "How about.. _Blissful Water_?"

Somehow, Keiko liked that "Hey.. that's pretty alright"

"You think so?"

"Yeah.. but we should think about using it.. I feel spent"

"Me too.." Kasai anwsered, and went with her to the exit.

 _Later_

"So this means you'll just disappear from my sight and appear in Keiko's mind?" Frizzy-haired boy asked Keiko's brother.

"It looks like.." Kou said.

"I have few questions.." Keiko muttered "First, why shadows came out of someone's room?"

Everyone just sighed, and said that they don't know.

"Let's just call it a day" Kasai said "I'm starving.."

"Like always" Keiko chuckled, and left the Waterfall with him.

 _5:41 P.M_

Keiko was returning to her home with Kou, as she suddenly heard ambulance again.

"Another one..?" She said and sighed "I'm curious what happens there.. that car drives into the same way like before.."

"I.. I don't think it's a good ide-" before Kou ended, he felt that Keiko is slowly going away, so he quickly followed her.

The ambulance lead her to a rather small, but warm-looking house. It would look warmer if there weren't two ambulances on the road nearby.

"Rouno-san! Rouno-san!" Keiko heard from the house, and soon she noticed that paramedics have someone on the stretcher.

"Rouno..?!" Keiko said and walked closer to the stretcher, only to notice her homeroom teacher's body.

He was looking really pale, and he seemed to be dizzy, or at least he wasn't responding to anything, looking almost like a zombie.

"Are you someone from his family?" she heard from behind. Keiko nervously turned around, only to notice a middle-aged man in a suit.

"N-no.." Keiko said "I-I'm his student.. h-he is my homeroom teacher"

The man had a chin-length grey hair, and green eyes, as he was looking at Keiko, like was trying to pierce her with his sight.

"Mr. Rouno stopped to respond to anything" Man anwsered.

"W-what do you mean, sir..?" Keiko said, worried a bit. Meanwhile, paramedics tried to contact her homeroom teacher.

"Rouno-san, can you hear us?"

"Ueeeeeeaaaaaagh.." was all they could hear in response.

"Geez.." one of the medics said "Is he high or something..?"

The man in a suit looked at Keiko "Have you noticed something strange with your teacher before?"

"L-like..?"

"Exhaustion? Constand sighing? A lot of yawning?" man said. Then, Keiko reminded herself when her teacher fell onto the ground, and said that it's probably because he didn't sleep well.

"W-well.." Keiko muttered "He was saying that he has problems with sleeping.. but I don't think it would cause something.."

"We're not sure" he anwsered, and gave Keiko a hand to shake it "I'm Hiroki Rakusu"

"Keiko N-Nasura" she said, and looked down. What exactly happened to her teacher.

"Keiko Nasura.." Hiroki said and took a notepad out, only to write her name on it "You're a student of.." he looked at her emblem "I'll contact you when we'll know something about him"

"B-but why me, sir?" Keiko asked, worried.

"You're the nearest I found" Hiroki anwsered and turned around "Goodbye"

And then he moved away.

" _This is strange.._ " Keiko thought " _First we saw something that shadows weren't doing at first, not my teacher won't live normally.. I need to find out does it connect to something.._ "


	11. Chapter 11: Invasion

" _Wait a second.._ " Keiko thought and reminded herself informations Sophia and Igor gave her " _..the invaders!_ "

She quickly ran to her house, impatient a bit. Probably no one at school even knew about Rouno becoming a 'zombie' but if shadows will invade even more rooms..

The girl quickly entered the house "Hello, father" Keiko muttered, but hopefully for Tadao he noticed that she wasn't angry, but just tired a bit.

"So he's your father?" Kou asked, while entering the room by going through the doors.

Keiko wanted to say something to him, but Tadao was still in the room, cooking dinner, and if Keiko would start to talk to someone that wasn't in the room, he for sure will think that she has a mental problems.

" _Can you hear me?_ " Keiko thought to herself, in the same way she was using to contact Wendy while not being in the Dreamworld.

"Huh..?" Kou muttered "Yeah.. but it feels strange"

" _Y-you'll have to get used to it_ " Keiko said " _Right, Wendy?_ "

" _Of course_ " They both heard.

"Oh well.." Kou said and sighed.

" _Try to do something to her, and you'll meet concequences"_ Wendy warned him.

"W-what?!" He yelled "L-like I would do that to Nasura-san"

" _Calm down_ " Keiko said to them and turned to her father "W-what are you cooking?"

"Tonkatsu" Her father anwsered while frying the pork.

"Cutlets!" Kou said and smiled.

" _You know you and I can't eat them?_ " Wendy said, and Keiko's brother sighed.

"My first time when I'm angry because I'm not hungry.."

Both Keiko and her father were enjoying the dinner, hot meat making Keiko relieved as she wasn't eating at Oishi for a bit.

"Father..?" Keiko asked.

He raised his eyebrows "Hmm..?"

"D-do you know someone with a surname.." Keiko said and bit her lip "..Machita?"

At first Tadao was looking rather shocked, but then his expression changed into confusion.

"I.. don't remember much, but I think I heard it before" he anwsered, while Kou facepalmed.

"Oh dear.."

"Just because.." Keiko tried to make a lie "..when I was young, mum was often saying about someone called Machita, b-but I never met him"

"Alright..?" Tadao said and sighed, as part of his mind was making a theory that his father was lying to him.

"S-something happened?"

"No, it's nothing" Tadao said and forced himself to smile. After few minutes, he noticed that Keiko finished her meal "Just leave the bowl"

"A-alright" Keiko said and looked at Kou " _Come here_ "

He nodded, and went with her to her room.

"Isn't it embarrassing for you..?" Kou said.

" _Are you getting the wrong idea?_ " Keiko said and sighed " _You're my brother, right?_ "

Kou nodded nervously, and bit his lip.

" _So just promise you won't wake me up with your voice again. Plus, Wendy will be watching over you_ "

"H-huh..?!"

" _She's right_ " Wendy anwsered and appeared behind him.

"Okay, N-Nasura-san" Kou said with cold sweat on his face, as soon Keiko changed - while Her Persona was keeping an eye on him.

"Do you.." Keiko said when she lied herself "..need to sleep somewhere?"

"I.. I think I don't have to" Kou said "It feels like I don't get tired"

" _Is he a ghost or not..?_ " Keiko thought to herself "Eh.. goodnight, then"

"Goodnight, Nasura-san" Kou said.

 _Vevlet Room_

Keiko appeared on the couch in psychologist's room.

"Huh..?" Keiko said and quickly adjusted herself on the couch when she saw Igor grinning "Y-yes"

"You've made a progress, eye-opener" Igor said "Be sure to run, but on your own pace"

"I-I guess so" Keiko said and sighed "Can you.. tell me something?"

"I am here to do that if you want" Igor said and nodded, while Sophia was standing right behind him.

"I have a brother.. w-well, I'm not sure is he really my brot-"

"Kou Machita" Igor said and opened his hand, only to reveal another tarot card, with a wheel inside of it. "He came out of your room"

"Y-yea.." Keiko said "W-why.. why he is a.. ghost?"

"He's not a ghost" Sophia said "..your room is filled with dreams you want to happen so much. Didn't you want to have a brother?"

"I.." Keiko muttered and started to slowly regain her memories "I wanted to"

"That's because..?" Sophia said while grinning a bit.

"..because I always wanted to have someone in my _real_ family" Keiko said and sighed "Not only Maya, but also someone that could easily say _I'm her true brother!_ "

"..so as you see" Sophia said.

"S-so it means..?"

"It is very rare, but still possible" Igor said "Kou, is just part of your dream, someone you wish to exist, and he managed to believe in himself so much, making him able to think about himself"

"So he just.." Keiko raised her eyebrows "..escaped from my room?"

Igor nodded

"..and that's why he sticks with me, like Wendy?"

"That's right" Igor said "..we're not entirely sure about him being able to interact with your world, but if he will wish strong enough, it may happen"

" _So I just have to make Kou think that he is not just a part of someone.._ " Keiko thought to herself, and nodded "Thank you"

"Your welcome" Igor and Sophia said, and soon the old watch started to ring.

"Looks like it's a time for you to wake up" Igor said "Farewell.."

Keiko nodded, only to wake up later.

 _April 14th_

 _8:21_

"H-huh..?" Keiko said while she was sipping her tea. Someone started to knock on the doors.

"I'll check" Tadao said and placed his newspaper on the table, only to open the doors.

"Keiko-san!" They heard Kasai's voice. Instead of his school uniform, he was wearing a beige cardigan, and blue pants.

"What do you want?" He got stopped by Tadao "Did I tell you to-"

"It's okay, father" Keiko said "I.. I wanted to meet him on Sunday, so I will go now"

"O.. okay..?" Her father said, but couldn't disagree with his daughter, as he nodded and let her go, of course after finishing her tea.

Kasai and Keiko left the house, and walked to the park.

"Rouno i-"

"Disabled" Keiko anwsered and looked away.

"H-how do you know?!" Kasai raised his eyebrows.

"You remember these ambulances? I followed one of them" she anwsered.

"You s-saw him?! So, how was he ac-"

"UEEEEAAAAAGH" Keiko said, only to receive strange look from Kasai, as he could only ask himself why she did that "That's all what he was saying while trying to comunicate him"

"A-ah, alright" Kasai said and checked his phone "The students are already calling him _the Sleeper_ "

"Sleeper?"

"Yeah, because before all this he was sleeping" Kasai said and facepalmed "Wait.. he was acting really tired before that!"

"I already noticed" Keiko anwsered "So if I won't sleep long enough I will become like him?"

"Quit joking!" Kasai said and sighed "Hey.. how about the room?! You know, when the shadows came out!"

"If I'm sure.." Keiko said.

"They..?"

"They killed his dreams" Keiko said "They entered his room, made something terrible there, and went out when the victim became.. _the Sleeper_ "

"So they invaded his dreams?" Kasai said "Damnit.. that's strange.. but also makes sense"

"We have a day free from school.." Keiko said and looked at the Waterfall "Let's check something"

"The Dreamworld?" Kasai said "..sure. But before that.."

He touched Keiko's arm "..are you scared that people might see it?"

"My arm..?" Keiko said and turned red. She accepted the fact that she doesn't have a real right forearm, but still it was making her blush from time to time, when someone was giving her a handshake.

"Yes"

"I.. maybe I am" Keiko said and looked around "..but in these clothes it's not that visible.. right?"

She was right, mostly because her outfit consisted of dark skirt, and blue unzipped jacket over a long-sleeved white shirt.

"I could saw it before I knew your name" Kasai said "..but I think it's because of my sight.. your shadow didn't have an arm"

"Nice.." Keiko said and sighed "Can we finally go there?"

Kasai nodded, and even Kou, who was mostly going behind them, also nodded.

 _The Dreamworld_

"Man, that is strange" Keiko said, even if she was there many times before.

"It's like a hell, but everything is.. greenish" Kasai anwsered.

"You're right.." Kou muttered.

Keiko looked around "We should check few places"

"Like..?" Kou and Kasai said.

"Just search for the shadows" Keiko said and moved forward "Come on"

 _Later_

After a half of hour of walking, they noticed a group of shadows, but decided to keep quiet for a bit.

"Let's see.." Kasai said and peeked his head out of the rock wall.

"Are they trying to enter someone's room?" Keiko asked bluntly.

"I don't think so.. but still..?" Kasai said and focused on them. The enemies seemed to wander around, like they weren't intending to enter someone's room by force.

"They're not going to" Kasai said, and noticed something "W-wait..!"

Shadows suddenly stopped, only to start to act strangely. In a while, they started to gather into a larger group, and walked to the wall.

"What is it?" Keiko said.

"They're.. they're trying to!" Kasai said, as the shadows started to go try to push the door in order to go through it.

"They're trying?!" Keiko said and walked away, only to look at them "So we have to stop them!"

"T-there's too many of them.." Kou muttered. Indeed, it seemed that there were like 50 shadows to deal with.

"Like I care!" Keiko said and suddenly a tarot card started to flow on her palm.

"Me too!" Kasai added, and his card appeared too.

" _I order you!_ " Kasai said and karate-chopped the card.

" _Get them.._ " Keiko muttered and crushed the card in her hand.

Both Zatoichi and Wendy appeared, only to rush onto the shadows.

" _Makouha_!" Keiko said, as Wendy spun, causing few light arrows, that piereced a group of shadows. Few of them disappeared, but most of them were still alive.

"I told you - too many of them!" Kou said.

"Not for too long!" Kasai said " _Zatoichi, Cleave!_ "

" _The time has come.._ " they heard Zatoichi's voice as the blind blademaster used his katana to kill the biggest shadow.

"Now it shouldn't be a problem!" Kasai said "Go str-"

"Watch out!" Keiko said and ordered Wendy to protect Zatoichi, as one of the shadows casted Agi.

"C-crap.." Kasai said, breathing heavily. Few flames reached his Persona, hitting his weakness.

"So you don't like water?" Keiko said " _Makouha!_ "

Wendy nodded, and attacked another pair of shadows.

"You alright?" Keiko said and helped Kasai to calm down.

"Yeah.." He anwsered "Let's beat them.. _Malaqua!_ "

Zatoichi spun with his sword, making a small stream of water appear.

"Oh!" Kou said as he saw that few shadows got defeated quickly "You hit their weakness!"

"All right!" Kasai said "Keiko.."

"..you think about I think too?"

Both of them nodded.

" _Blessful Water!_ " They both yelled, and their Personas nodded. Keiko used Makouha, while Zatoichi used Malaqua, creating a rather strong attack.

"And another creatures killed!" Kasai said and sighed "I'm tired.."

"Hey, but at least we saved someone" Keiko said "I'm just worried will the other peoples' doors be okay.."

"I dunno.." Kasai anwsered "..but we should go back now"

"Yeah.." Keiko nodded.

They both returned to the Waterfall, not noticing a small shadow slowly going through the doors.


	12. Chapter 12: The Wild Card

"..let's go" Kou added, as they slowly moved to the exit.

 _12:11_

"..see ya later" Keiko said as Kasai went away. Everything seemed alright for her.. but how will she find another victims? Will she just have to search every door she'll see?

".. _courage to go alone.._ "

"Who's that?" Keiko said as she took out her phone. That annoying ringtone was awful, and the girl noticed that she never saw that number before "..yes?" she said.

" _Yo, Kei-chan.._ " she heard through the phone. She recognized that Mayumi was speaking.

"Mayumi-san?" Keiko anwsered "..how do you know my number?"

" _Um.._ " Mayumi anwsered, stuttering " _..when everyone were talking about a new student, someone found your name and started to search all the internet, and I found this number.._ "

"..o..kay..?" Mayumi said and raised her eyebrows, surprised by that "..what do you want, anyways?"

" _Well.._ " Mayumi anwsered " _..I wasn't in school for a bit, so I have to revise the material.. can you tutor me?_ "

"T-tutor you?!" Keiko said. She was never tutoring someone before.

" _Come on, I'll do anything you want after that..!_ "

"N-no.. it's okay.." Keiko anwsered through the phone "I.. I just never did it before, that's all"

" _Kasai said you're good.._ " Mayumi anwsered ".. _so I'm sure you won't fail! Now please..!_ "

" _What that dimwit told her.._ " Keiko thought to herself "Okay.. where do you live?"

 _13:25_

Mayumi coughed while revising the material with Keiko. She rubbed her forehead and yawned "..crap.."

"You're tired?" Keiko anwsered.

"I got up on the wrong side of the bed.." Mayumi said and sighed "..guess we still have to study a bit.. right?"

"I don't think anyone would quiz you, especially after Rou-"

Suddenly Mayumi jumped "Yeah.. that bastard.."

"How can you be so angry about him? He died" Keiko said and sighed, not being able to understand him.

"He was just so strict.." Mayumi anwsered and rubbed her neck, yawning "Alright, I don't think I'll make it"

"So..?" Keiko said and chuckled a bit.

"Guess I'll just.. take a nap.." She said and lied herself on the bed.

"Hey.." Keiko said and looked at the book "We still have to-"

Then she noticed that Mayumi was sleeping, snoring quietly.

"Oh, crap.." Keiko said and took the books "..see you tomorrow.." she added and left the room.

"That's strange" Kou said and looked around.

"What do you mean?" Keiko asked, and raised her eyebrows.

"Nasura-san.." He said "..I have a feeling that her exhaustion is not normal.."

"Not normal?" Keiko said and sighed.

"I-It's just that it's not natural.."

"Come to think of it.." Keiko said "Mayumi was skipping school because of exhaustion.."

"We have to find some information.." Kou said "..but from who?"

 _14:19_

 _Oishi Restaurant_

"Damnit, Lakura!"

"Not.. my fault.." Kasai said, stuffing himself with the noodles "So you wanted to ask.."

"About Mayumi-san" Keiko said and rubbed her forehead "For how long do you know her?"

Kasai gulped "W-why are you asking?" he said, seeming very embarrassed, or at least flustered.

"I have to tell you something.." Keiko said "..have you noticed how Mr. Rouno was acting before he.. you know..?"

Kasai nodded "He seemed very tired until that accident"

"..now Mayumi started to skip classes" Keiko said "Was she _that_ tired before?"

"Y-you're not suggesting..?!"

"She might become a victim" Keiko said boldly, despite Kasai's face being covered in a cold sweat.

Kasai rubbed his neck "C-come to think of it.. she skipped an afternoon classes because she was feeling sleepy.." he said "..but I never saw her after that"

"I visited her today" Keiko said and took a sip of her tea "She went into bed without saying much"

"So what do we have to do now?" Kasai asked, and stood up "Defeat the shadows?"

"Maybe.." Keiko said and then looked away "I know!"

"What?"

"To the Waterfall, quickly!" Keiko said and left the restaurant, despite the unfinished tea.

 _15:02_

 _The Waterfall_

"So?" Kasai asked as he sat on the bench "What is that your idea about?"

Keiko gave him a smirk "Her dreams have been attacked, just like ours" she said "And after we realised that our nightmares are just nightmares, we got our Personas"

"Y-you don't want to trigger her to get a Persona?!"

"Why not?" Keiko said and formed her artificial hand into a fist "It may be tough for her, but I have Wend-"

" _Right here!_ "

"..and Zatoichi" she added "In any case.. if anything will attack us, I'm sure we'll be good"

"Maybe you're right" Kasai anwsered and stood up "..but if we will fail.. I shall deal with you in hell"

Keiko chuckled "Hell? You more look like a king of hell"

"Who is a king for a god?" He asked.

"Who is a god for an atheist?" Keiko said, laughing "Roasted"

"Phew.." he anwsered "So does this mean we have to bring her there by force?"

Keiko nodded.

 _15:49_

"Guys.." Mayumi said as she walked to the Waterfall with Keiko and Kasai "What is this all about..?"

"Well.." Kasai said and blushed. He looked away "..we want to show you something"

"Huh..?" Mayumi yawned "Maybe tomorro-"

"No, no, no" Keiko said and patted her shoulder "..you said you were tired, right?"

"I am.." Brown-haired student said, and yawned.

"So I guess.." Keiko said and brought her closer to the Waterfall "..we have to **wake you up**!" she yelled and with Kasai's help, threw her into the water.

"Wha..!" Mayumi yelled as her body hit the water "..what the heck'a you're doing guys!?"

"Just see!" Keiko said and waited Mayumi fell through the Waterfall.

"...aaaaaaah!"

"Guess we have to follow her" Kasai said and rushed into the water.

"..dimwits" Keiko said as she jumped into the water with Kou.

 _The Dreamworld_

"..a-am I dreaming..?" Mayumi said as she landed in the entrance hall.

"Nope" Kasai appeared from behind and patted her back.

'W-what are you doing here..?!" Mayumi yelled and looked around "..what is this place, damnit?!"

"Hey, calm do-" He couldn't finish as Mayumi slapped him with full force.

"I hate you" Girl with green tie yelled before she ran away.

"Wait..!" He tried to follow her, but she was too fast.

"Looks like our plan failed" Keiko said.

"What are you talking about?! She can die!" Kasai yelled.

" _He's right_ " Wendy said

"Crap.." Keiko muttered and looked at Kou "Let's go"

Mayumi was running fast through the strange world " _W-what is this place..?!_ " she thought, until she saw a rather strange door. It was green, and somehow Mayumi felt that she is connected to it, somehow.

"Hey.. what is inside of it..?" Mayumi said as she touched the door handle "..why it's attatched to wall?"

"Mayumi-san!" Kasai said, but it was too late, before brown-haired student pressed the handle.. and entered the room.

"Crap" Keiko said, and pulled the handle. She looked at Kasai, who seemed stunned for some reason "..what are you waiting for?! Let's go!"

"R-right" He said and entered the room with her, leaving Kou alone.

"Hey..!" He yelled and tried to go with them, but Kasai closed the doors. Kou turned around, only to see few goo-like creatures wandering around.

Sadly, they noticed him and started to slowly reach out to him.

"..bye, cruel world"

 _Mayumi's Room_

"Kasai, you there?" Keiko asked as she entered the room. Strangely, the room she was in had a very vibrant lights, making it harder to see anything.

"I'm.. there.." He said and touched her shoulder "What is this place..?"

"It looks.." Keiko muttered and noticed couches, a bar, and even a DJ "..is this a club?"

Kasai gulped "It looks like.. what does it have to do with Mayumi..?"

"I hoped that you would know"

"Hmph" Kasai said "Maybe she's in my class, but I never heard that she likes to go to the club.."

"Are there any night clubs in Yumeto?"

"No"

They both sighed, and moved forward. On a stage people were dancing to the loud music.

" _Burn my breaaaaa.._ "

" _Burn my bread_?" Kasai asked.

"What?"

"That's a pretty old track.. made by guy called Thanatoast"

"I don't know him" Keiko said "I don't listen to music, especially something like this"

"Anyway.." Kasai said "..you said that when someone enters their room, they look exactly as they were during it, right?"

"..when I had a nightmare about the accident, I was a kid, while in your nightmare, you were first a kid and then landed in a hospital"

"..explains a lot" He said and looked around "..let's look around for her"

"But how are we going to do it?" Keiko asked "..there is like, thousand of people here"

She was right, mostly because they found that the building itself had four floors, every one of them filled with people dancing.

"Hmmm.." Kasai started to hum "I.. don't really know"

Keiko also started to hum. She wasn't sure how Mayumi was old in her dream, so she could be a teenager, or a little child. It was a club, so for sure the first option.

"Ask someone about the date" Keiko ordered.

"Me? Why?"

"Just do it!"

"Alright.." Kasai said and walked to the DJ. "..excuse me?"

"Ey, yo!" DJ said, not even looking at him "..what do you want, kiddo?"

"What date is it today!" Kasai yelled, because at first the guy couldn't hear him because of the music.

"Huh?" DJ said and took his phone out "It's like.. August 27th, 2017"

"Alright, thanks..!" He said and quickly returned.

"And..?"

"August, 2017" Kasai anwsered "Geez, this music almost makes my ears explode.. and so many people's reflections.."

"2017?" Keiko said "So Mayumi would be 14 now. What is a kid like her doing in a night club?"

"Like I would know!" Kasai said and moved forward "We should find he-" he suddenly stopped.

"What is it?"

"Can't we just call her?" Kasai said "For sure she has to have a phone now"

Keiko facepalmed "You genius!" she yelled and took her phone out.

".. _hello_?" she heard Mayumi's voice.

"Where are you?" Keiko asked. Sadly, Mayumi didn't know her during the dream.

" _Who are you..?_ "

" _Crap_ " Keiko thought to herself, not expecting that. Thankfully, Kasai quickly grabbed the phone.

"S-sorry, it's me" Kasai said. Mayumi knew him from before, so there were some chances that she would recognize his voice.

".. _oh, honey?_ "

Kasai raised his eyebrows and almost gasped, while Keiko looked at him disgusted a bit.

" _HONEY?!_ " She thought to herself.

" _Disgusting.._ " Wendy said.

"N-no, it's not me" Kasai said, sweating buckets "It's me, Kasai"

" _Lakura_?" Mayumi anwsered, and sighed " _..what do you want..?_ "

"U-um.. well.." Kasai tried to think of something "..I wanted to give you some information about the test tomorrow"

" _..the test?_ " Mayumi said " _Oh, you're right, we have with Yuki tomorrow.. you'll tell me later, I have so-_ " she stopped, and both Keiko and Kasai could hear another voice through the phone.

" _..there you are, you little bitch!_ "

Keiko raised her eyebrows, while Kasai went pale.

".. _no, please!_ " they heard Mayumi's voice.

" _Who are you calling to? Trying to contact the one time? TURN THIS OF-_ " before the unknown guy finish, Mayumi turned the phone off.

"Crap!" Kasai said and started to rub his forehead "2017.. 2017.."

"Something happened during this year?" Keiko said. Kasai quickly gasped.

"Her.. boyfriend"

"Boyfriend..?" Keiko raised her eyebrows again.

"She told me that she had one, but after few months, she suddenly stopped talking about him.. could this be..?" Kasai said and quickly walked to the stairs "We have to go, now!"

"How do you know where is she even?!" Keiko said as she walked to him.

"One time she told me that he is the manager of this club" Kasai said "And I know where is the staff room"

"14 years old.. club manager as a boyfriend.." Keiko facepalmed "Mayumi, what did you do back then?"

Kasai quickly lead her the way to the staff room, strange mutterings and yellings could be heard.

"There she is!" Kasai said and stood near the doors.

"Kasai, there are men there!" Keiko said as she stood near him "Are you just going to fight th-"

" _..that one day your whole life got destroyed.._ " they heard, and the darkness surrounded them.

"It started.. damnit.." Kasai said, as they saw the room disappear, and Mayumi was kneeling in the floor, crying, bruises on her body.

"..my life.." Mayumi said and started to cry.

"Oyawa!" Keiko yelled "Don't listen..!"

" _..you think that it was a good choice? Becoming a girlfriend of such a terrible man?_ "

"I.." Mayumi muttered "Didn't know that he is so.."

".. _it was your own decision!"_ She heard strange voice " _Now look at you! You made this harm to yourself, just because of your immaturity!_ "

"..that.. it was.."

"Mayumi, stop listening to him, damnit!" Kasai said, forming his hands into fists.

"..my precious life.." Mayumi muttered, as shadows started to surround everyone.

"My goodness" Keiko said and moved to her. Mayumi didn't notice that Keiko was slowly moving her lips closer to her ear.

" _.._ I'm.. a garba-"

"LISTEN TO US, DAMNIT!"

Mayumi quickly snapped out, and noticed her "K-Kei-chan?!" she said and moved back. Mayumi rubbed her bruise on the cheek, and started to cry. "Don't.. don't look at me..!"

"Calm down" Keiko said and kneeled near her, only to hug her.

"W-why are you.. doing this to me.." Mayumi said "..my life.."

"Keiko's right" Kasai approached her from behind "There's nothing much to be sad about, Mayumi-san" he said and kneeled near her "..We understand"

"But guys.." Mayumi said "W-what are you doing here.. it's.."

"Look around you" Keiko said calmly, despite that the shadows were slowly rushing onto them "Was this voice real?"

"It.. it wasn't.." She muttered, feeling weak.

"It's a dream" Keiko said, and Mayumi rubbed her own eyes.

"It's.. a dream?"

"That's right" Keiko said and helped her to stand up.

"I.. I got it. It was a bad moment in my life, but it didn't end up like this.." She said and looked at the dark sky. "It's.. **it's just a dream**!"

Yelling could be heard, as shadow started to get angry.

"You ready for this?" Kasai said as the Hermit card started to float above his hand.

"Everytime" Keiko said as the Fool card appeared " _Come here, Wendy!_ "

" _I order thee!_ " Kasai yelled.

Both Zatoichi and Wendy appeared, casting Malaqua and Makouha.

"Too many of them.." Keiko said as one of the shadows dodged her attack. They could only count on Mayumi's awakening, but sadly for them, she was too weak to even hear her other self.

"..yeah.. I feel tired" Kasai said and ordered Zatoichi to use easier attacks "Zatoichi!"

" _I shall watch your deaths.._ " Blinded blademaster said " _CLEAVE!_ "

He rushed onto a group of shadows, only to cut them with his sword. At first it seemed like he missed, but after few seconds, the shadows got cut into two pieces, and Zatoichi hid his sword.

"Wow, that was good" Keiko said, as she watched how his Persona deals with shadows.

"Hey, watch out!" Kasai yelled, but it was too late. One of the shadows used Eiha.

"Ugh!" Keiko yelled as both she and Wendy got hit with a curse spell, hitting their weakness.

"Get u-" Before Kasai could reach out to her, one of the monsters used Agi. "Argh..!"

"Kasai..!" Keiko tried to stand up, but she was too tired, and someone hit her weakness again. She could only see shadows slowly rushing onto her "I.. will I.. die..?"

" _Prepare yourself, eye-opener_ "

"H-huh..?!" Keiko muttered as she heard Igor's voice.

" _Your Persona - Wendy - isn't the only one you can use_ " she heard Sophia's voice this time " _With gaining the power of the Hermit, you can summon the Hermit Persona_ "

"Another.. Persona.." Keiko said as she tried to stand up.

" _And that's because you are the Wild Card.. the chosen one, the eye-opener_ "

Keiko felt like she's getting new powers, being born again.

"Keiko-san.." Kasai looked at her "..run away.. before they'll.. argh!" he just got hit with fire spell again.

"I won't.." Keiko said as she stood up, and opened her hand again " _Change!_ "

Wendy disappeared, and the Fool card appeared. Keiko concentrated, and the card changed it's appearance into the 9th Arcana, the Hermit.

"What the.." Kasai muttered.

" _Naga!_ "

Keiko crushed the card, and another creature appeared above her. It was a snake like creature, that had a snake's tail, but a human bottom. The Hermit Persona was wielding a metal shield, and a spear, had a long black hair and a cross on its chest.

" _Mazio!"_ Keiko yelled, and the snake-like Persona spun her spear, causing lightnings to appear and attack shadows.

"Watch out!" Kasai said as one of the shadows tried to cast stronger Eiga, but it failed when Naga blocked it with a shield, as Curse wasn't her weakness.

" _Mazio!_ " Keiko yelled and pointed at the shadows again. Her Persona nodded, and casted lightning spell again, this time killing every enemy.

"Two P-Personas.." Kasai stood up "Keiko.. how?"

"Somehow.." Keiko said, not wanting to tell him about the Velvet Room. Kasai moved to Mayumi and picked her up.

"Let's go" He said and left the room with her and Keiko.


	13. Chapter 13: The Fool's teacher

"I-It should be okay.." Kou muttered when shadows started to surround him. When he left Keiko's room for the first time, shadows didn't seem to attack him, just wandering like they couldn't see him. "Yo, guys.. you don't want to, do yo-"

Before he ended, one of the shadows scratched his leg.

"Ouch!" Kou said and looked around. Too many of them to move forward. He decided to move back, only to hit the rock wall "Oh-oh.."

Goo-like creatures were simply groaning as they started to move forward onto him.

"Please, no!" He yelled, but they already started to gather in bigger numbers. One of them looked like he's going to jump onto his face.

The shadow was about to scratch his face and rip it into pieces, but suddenly it got punched so heavily, that it simply blew up, transforming into black dust.

Kou could only see that near him, there was his _sister_ standing. She had half-furious, half-relieved expression on her face. Kou looked up at her hands, only to see that her artificial forearm was covered in black goo.

"Nasura-san..!" Kou said and tried to stand up "I'm so so-"

"Wait" She said and quickly turned around with her right arm straight. Kou could just watch as Keiko Nasura simply punches the shadow.

" _Wendy!_ " She yelled.

" _Kouha!_ "

The beam of light appeared and pierced the shadow, cutting it into two pieces, killing it.

"More of them" Keiko said and looked at Kasai "Don't let them reach Kou!"

"R-right" Kasai said, surprised by Keiko's bossy act " _Zatoichi, Malaqua!_ "

His Persona pointed his sword at the shadows, and after a while a rather small waves of water appeared, defeating the shadows that were weak to water skills.

"That was easy" Kasai said and looked around. No shadows were nearby, Keiko's _brother_ was safe.

"Nasura-san.. I.." Kou approached her. In the answer, Keiko just grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Why you didn't follow us?" Keiko said while shaking him "You almost died here"

"Nasura-san, I.. was just late" Kou said and looked at Kasai "Y-you closed the door before I could enter the room!"

"Me?" Kasai said, and noticed Keiko slowly moving to him. His friend didn't get angry a lot, but now it seemed that a second hell is going to appear in her mind.

"Say that you're sorry" Keiko said.

"What? Why?"

"He almost died, you know" She said and sighed.

"Oh, come on, this is really going too fa-"

"PERSO-"

"Alright, alright!" He said a moment before Wendy appeared and casted Kouga on him. "Hey, Kou.. sorry man"

Kou nodded nervously and shook his hand "N-no problem, Kasai" he said. Both guys were surprised that Keiko could have a really short temper.

"Done already?" Keiko said and looked at lying Mayumi. She kneeled near her, and picked her up. Mayumi seemed to be the the same size as Nasura, though Keiko could feel that her brown-haired friend was much lighter than her.

"N-Nasura-san!" Kou yelled as he moved to her "P-please, let me help you"

"You don't have to.." Keiko said. She had to leave the Dreamworld with Mayumi, and Kou after crossing the exit will become a _ghost_ again, so Mayumi will just fall into the water.

"No..!" Her _brother_ answered and shook his head "I was too stupid to not follow you.. I should do something to pay for it.."

Hopefully Kasai decided to make a move "Hey, Kou!" he said "I would rather listen to her, you know"

"A-alright" Brown-haired boy said as he stood up and just lead the way to the exit.

"Why won't you order Wendy to help you?" Kasai said.

Keiko started to hum "Well.. I think that Mayumi will get scared after seeing herself being carried by a giant doll"

" _A doll?!_ "

"I just tried to find a word. I don't think saying _other me_ every time is a good idea either"

" _You're.. quite right_ " Wendy answered in Keiko's thoughts as all of them left the Dreamworld.

 _18:03_

"Mmmgh.." Mayumi muttered when she felt something cold. It was her leg which touched the cold water. Keiko, Kasai and Kou quickly left the Waterfall.

"Shhh.." Keiko said soflty, and lied her friend on the ground "..it's going to be alright" she added while making sure Mayumi is safe.

"She's.. motherly" Kasai muttered. Sadly or not for him, Keiko heard him.

"Maya taught me how to calm down a sleeping child" Keiko said "While I actually never had to calm a child down, seems like it's useful now"

"Maya..?" Kou muttered.

"My guardian before I arrived here"

"N-no, it's not th-" Kou stopped suddenly "a-a-ah, alright"

Keiko just didn't notice as she covered Mayumi with her blue jacket, revealing that under it, Keiko was wearing long-sleeved white shirt, still covering her arm.

"Seems like your plan didn't end well" Kasai said "You said that we will gain another Persona use-"

"Will you kindly stop yelling now?" Keiko sighed "She was simply too tired. Think different, Kasai"

"Yeah?" He said and looked around "What do you mean by _different_?"

"I mean that even if she won't awake to a Persona, at least her dreams are safe" Dark-haired girl answered "Before I saved your's, Kasai, you were having nightmares, right?"

Kasai nodded nervously "Being burned in that god damn school.. guess you're right"

"She's sleeping" Keiko said as she looked at snoring Mayumi "Guys.. I'll wake her up. Kasai, you should go"

"If that's what you want" Kasai said and turned to Kou "Well, see you soon Ko-"

Keiko turned around when she noticed one fact - Kou used to be visible only for her when not in the Dreamworld.

"W-WHAT THE HECK?!" Kasai yelled as he backed off "D-dude, how did you..?!"

Kou touched his body few times, then touched Kasai only to rub Keiko's rub. When he felt that he is able to interact with this world now, he was both shocked and happy.

"I-I want to know it too, Kasai..!" Kou said as he started to jump like a burned man.

"Hush!" Keiko said as she looked at Mayumi "Calm down first, alright? We have to think it through"

"How can you be so calm about all this?" Dark-eyed student said "Does it mean.."

"What?" Keiko asked quietly.

"He has to go to school, and stay at someone's place"

When hearing the first part, Keiko only sighed, as she wasn't sure about Kasai's behaviour. The second part made her sweat a bit, mostly because she didn't know how would her father react.

"I'm going to learn in school with Nasura-san..!?" Kou said and then an insane smile appeared on his face, like he seemed way too cheerful about that.

"Slow down there, buddy" Kasai said "Yeah, I guess you will but first you will have to pass the test.. and we don't even know how old are you"

"Actually, does he even have any docume-" Keiko wanted to say but got stopped.

"Right here!" Her _brother_ yelled as he took a leather wallet out, and opened it. He showed a Japanese ID card.. it had his face, date of birth and even height.

"November 11th, 2004.." Keiko said calmly, despite she was shocked that her ' _brother'_ had a legal documents.

"So it means you won't learn with her" Kasai said.

"W-what?!" Kou yelled "W-why-"

"Calm down there, man" Kasai said "I mean that me and Keiko are from 2003, and you're one year younger.. you'll just be in the first class of the high school.

"In any way.." Keiko said, as she noticed that Mayumi will wake up soon "We have to think of place where he'll sleep.. father will be shocked to see him"

"Maybe at my place?" Kasai suggested.

"Your place?" Keiko raised her eyebrows "What about your fami-"

"Relax, I'm living without them now" Kasai said "They are overseas and only old grandma stayed with me, for sure she won't see any problem"

"If that's what you say.." Keiko stood up and moved to Kou.

"Nasura-san.." Kou muttered "..c-can I.. stay in this world?"

"Hey.." She answered as a weak smile appeared on her face "..just promise me that you won't do anything bad there, and I guess it's okay then"

"O-of course!' He said and moved to Kasai "T-thank you, Nasura-san!"

Keiko nodded, and moved to Keiko "Guess I'll have to explain it all to her somehow.." she said, also noticing that Kou and Kasai went away. Her brother smiling cheerfully.

"Mayumi-san?" Keiko said and rubbed her cheek "Wake up there.. it's me, Nasura"

"Kei-chan..?" Mayumi said and looked around. She noticed that Keiko used her jacket to cover her. She blushed a bit "T-thank you.. w-what even happened there?"

"Your nightmares" Keiko said "We just got rid of them. Or rather, you got rid of them yourself"

"Me..?" She rubbed her eyes "But.. how?"

Keiko understood the lesson Igor and Sophia gave her "Listen.." she said and kneeled near her, moving closer "..you opened your eyes, allowing you to see that it was just a bad dream. I'm not judging you what **truly** happened back there, but I'm glad that your eyes are opened now"

"I.." Mayumi muttered "..guess you're right.. but what were these things? T-that doll, and monsters..?"

" _CANIFINALLYRIPTH-"_

" _Like always.._ " Keiko thought to herself "That goo-like creatures were shadows, and we fought them using our Personas"

"Per..sonas?" Mayumi muttered, and then rubbed her head as she felt a sharp pain.

"You must be tired after that.." Keiko said.

 _Mayumi's P.O.V_

" _Fear not.. just raise your hand, and take mine hand.._ "

" _What..?_ " Mayumi thought to herself.

" _Do not fear me.. I am you.. you are me.. I am thou.. and thou art I.."_

 _Back to normal_

"I guess so.." Mayumi said rubbing her forehead "I should go home now.."

"I'll help you" Keiko said and helped her stood up.

 _5 minutes later_

"So this place.. our dreams are being attacked there?" Mayumi asked while walking slowly, being helped by Keiko.

"Unbelievable, right?" Keiko said "Thought that myself, but it seems there are some problems there"

"You mean.. the shadows you were talking about?"

"Yes, it's them" Keiko answered calmly "They somehow invade your dreams, causing everything to being messed up completely"

"Kei-chan.." Mayumi said as she stopped walking.

"Yes?"

"Is there any way.. to help you?" She asked. Keiko raised her eyebrows, as at first she was scared that Mayumi won't awake to a Persona.

"You know, Mayumi-san.." Keiko said and started to hum "..I don't think you're able to fight now, but I'm sure there's a way to support us while not in the Dreamworld"

"Come on, I know this city pretty well!" Mayumi answered "I dunno.. drugs to heal yourself, these kind of things.."

"Maybe not.." Keiko gulped, afraid where will the drugs come from.

"Let's say.." Brown-haired girl started "Do you have any problems with fighting against these.. shadows?"

Keiko started to hum "Well.. using a Persona requires energy.. after using Persona for a long time, you feel that you're about to fall onto the ground and sleep forever"

"So why won't you just fight them without Personas?"

"What?" Keiko said and then looked down "I.. didn't think about it, actually. Although, where will get weapons from?"

"I know some places" Mayumi said and noticed Keiko's face was pale "Legal, don't worry.. or at least harmless in this world"

"Like?"

"Blacksmith, dummy!" Mayumi said and facepalmed "What is more epic way to kill an enemy than cutting him into pieces with sword or spear?"

"Sword?" Keiko started to hum. She never learned how to use a sword.

"Or.. airsoft guns!"

"Will these things to any harm to the Shadows?"

"I guess so" Mayumi said and stopped near the doors to her house "I promise you guys, I'll tell you more tomorrow"

"Sure"

"In any way, Kei-chan.." Mayumi hugged her friendly "Thanks.. for saving my life"

"All I could do then" Keiko said happily, and went away as Mayumi entered her house.

Then, another Tarot card appeared in front of Keiko's eyes. On it, she saw a strange wizard-like man holding a fire in his own two hands. The card with a number 1 written on it, disappeared shortly after, and Keiko could hear Sophia's voice again.

 _I am thou, thou art I,_

 _Thou has gained a new power,_

 _With gaining the power of the another Arcana,_

 _Thou is taking a step forward in learning the art of recognition._

 _To thee I shall present, the Magician Arcana.._


	14. Chapter 14: The Red Hawk

_Mayumi's house_

 _8:12 P.M_

" _..and I am thou.._ "

Mayumi just couldn't take any more painkillers as that pain wasn't even about to go away.

"W-what's up with that voice..?!" Mayumi said and grabbed her head "Arghh..! It just won't stop..!"

" _..just accept it!_ "

"A-accept..?" Mayumi muttered and shrieked again "..stop.. it hurts..!"

" _It will, until you'll deny me or accept me_ "

"Accept you..?!" Mayumi muttered, shocked, and lied herself on the bed, shaking her head very quickly "..alright, I accept you! I don't know why are you repeating the same words, but if this is going to stop this goddamn pain.. I accept you!"

" _..are you saying this from bottom of thy heart?_ "

"What..?!"

" _..is this your mouth, or your heart speaking? Do thou truly accept the fact that I am thou!_ "

Mayumi stopped a bit. She wasn't sure what is that voice talking about. _I am thou_? What does it even mean?

"..alright"

 _Kasai's house_

 _8:15 P.M_

"Just take mine" Kasai said as he open his wardrobe.

"Really, Lakura-san?" Kou answered as he strugglingly took blue sleeping pants and white shirt.

"Sure" Kasai said calmly "Your futon's right here" he pointed at the green futon.

"Will you eat your supper tonight, boys?" They heard a voice from the corridor. An old woman with middle-length grey hair entered the room.

Kou just shook his head, as he wasn't that hungry to eat. Kasai did the same but the woman simply grabbed him by the ear.

"No, no, Kasai-chan, your doctor will get angry after seeing that you've lost weight again" grey-haired woman said while trying to force him to come with her.

"Oba-chan, I'm not that hu-" Kasai muttered while trying to hold back. Despite him being taller than his grandma, the woman didn't even stop.

"..I'm making your favourite ramen~" His grandma said and smiled. Kasai immediately rushed to the kitchen with happy expression.

"I WON'T LET IT GET COLD!" He yelled and rushed. Before he left the room, he looked at Kou "..you should go sleeping now.. I'll come back later.. much later"

"..sure" Keiko's brother answered and closed the door. After a while of looking at the sky through the window, he lied on the futon and fell asleep.

 _Keiko's house_

 _8:54 P.M_

"Have you been thinking about why Kou is able to interact with this world now?" Keiko asked as she closed the door to her room and changed into her pyjama.

" _Tried to, but I can't find a proper reason why would he_ " Wendy answered, standing near her.

"Did you see any changes on him? Like..?"

" _He did seem more.. alive_ " Wendy said.

"Well, if he was a ghost.." Keiko lied herself on the bed, Wendy just standing near it "You can sit here, you know"

" _Only if you want me to do so_ " Her doll-like Persona answered and sat near her. For obvious reasons, Keiko didn't even felt Wendy when she sat, touching her legs with her body.

"In any way.. why do you say he seems more alive now?" Keiko asked, and yawned.

" _Before all this, I could see him as.. something_ " Wendy said " _..but soon, I started to see him the same way like you, Kasai, or Mayumi_ "

"Like us.." Keiko muttered "..maybe he just became more.. human?"

" _Why do you think so?_ "

Keiko just sighed "It was going through my head for quite some time.." she said and yawned again "..what if Kou isn't Kou?"

" _Kou isn't Kou.. do you mean tha-_ "

"He left my room without any memories, knew that he's just a _brother_ , and his appearance doesn't seem to be natural" Keiko explained "I don't want to say it so bluntly, but.. I think he's just a piece of my dream that eventually started to believe that it's human"

" _I've got it now_ " Wendy said " _At first he was 'something', just because I couldn't identify him either as a human, shadow or even a Persona_ "

"Still.. I don't think I want to tell him this"

" _Why?_ "

"I-I mean not now" Keiko muttered "..mostly because it's just a theory, but sooner or later I'll tell him the truth"

" _If you say so_ " Wendy said, and watched her other self slowly falling asleep.

 _April 15th_

 _7:43_

"You heard it? Dude's not dead, but not alive at the same time!"

"Really? How?"

"He just went asleep, and can't wake up now.. like some kind of endless coma"

"Why won't he wake up?"

"Doctors already said that he won't"

"Rumors have already appeared.." Keiko said and sighed "Hey, Kasai?"

"Yeah?" He muttered and sat near the desk.

"How's Kou doing?" Keiko said "Any problems with hi-"

"Hey guys!" they heard Mayumi's voice from behind. She seemed much more _alive_ and cheerful than before.

"Ough.." Keiko said as she heard ringing in her head. Mayumi for sure was loud when being cheerful "Hey, Mayumi-san"

"Something happened?" Kasai asked.

"Oh, I haven't told you" Brown-haired girl said and went closer to them "So, Kei-chan already told me about getting tired when using Personas for too long.."

"You're right" Frizzy-hair said "..and?"

Girl in green tie sighed "..you should fight them without Personas! I mean, if you're ti-"

"W-woah, hold the freaking phone" Kasai said and raised his eyebrows "WITHOUT Personas?!"

"..Mayumi-san already explained it to me earlier" Keiko said and smiled a bit "Instead of using or Personas all the time, we can save them to the stronger shadows"

"And how would we fight Shadows without them?" Kasai said, still not thinking much.

"..we can buy something at blacksmith's" Keiko said, while Mayumi smiled.

"Yeah.. don't worry about is it legal or not, no one will even see it if we'll just hide it.. here!" Mayumi said and then showed everyone a big dark blue bag.

"T-that's pretty large" Kasai said "..so something like sword or blade, right?"

Mayumi and Keiko nodded.

"Alright" Kasai looked at his thin arms "I just hope there will be something light enough for me"

"Right?" Keiko smiled and looked at her own arms. She had a pretty normal figure, but like Kasai, she wasn't sure will she be able to handle a weapon made from steel or other metal.

"Let's discuss it after lessons" Mayumi said and went away "See ya guys"

"See you" Keiko muttered and looked at Kasai "So.. what about Kou?"

"He's alright" Kasai answered "He'll write the entrance exam few days later, so at first he just asked me where the library is. Although he got an uniform from school"

*RIIIIING!*

"Oh god" Kasai looked at the clock. The teacher will come here soon.

"Hello everybody" they heard a loud voice.

"OH GOD" Kasai said and blushed.

An adult entered the room. It was a middle-aged man with auburn middle-length hair, reaching his chin. He had brown eyes, and was wearing a blue shirt with blue tie, as well as black pants. The man smiled and sat on his own desk.

"Seems like your teacher had.." He said and gulped, embarrassed. His voice seemed to be in very low tone, despite his calm-looking expression "..a terrible accident"

Everyone gave him a smirk.

"In any way, I'm your new homeroom teacher" The man said and adjusted his tie "I'm normally teaching world history, but I'm also a supervisor of Cantonese language club"

"S-sir!" one of the female students asked. She had a strange look in her eyes, and the others already recognized that she is charmed with his appearance.

"Yes?"

"You still haven't said your name, sir"

"Oh, that's right" He said and chuckled, before moving to his desk calmly, and placing his hands on it.

"Why do I feel that I know him from somewhere..?" Keiko muttered.

"I'm Tatsu-" before the auburn-haired man ended, Keiko looked at him, already knowing his name.

"SUOU?!" Keiko yelled, looking at him. After a while, she noticed whole class looking at her, while the teacher just raised his eyebrows, surprised.

"Yes..?" The teacher said, looking rather shocked "My surname is Suou.. do I know you?"

"E-er.. umm.." Keiko blushed, while the class already started to gossip "M-my frien- I-I mean not a friend.."

"Hey, calm down there!" Tatsuya said to the class, as the others started to gossip about her and the homeroom teacher.

"..m-my guardian! My guardian knew someone with this name, b-but I never saw him" Keiko said and looked away.

"Oh, really?" Tatsuya chuckled "I'm surprised that someone knew me.. but if so, this person must be old.. In any way" he said and stood up "In any way.. we'll start now.. I will be replacing your world history teacher, so I have to know how far you made it in the books"

"Greek history and gods, sir" Mayumi said. Tatsuya nodded.

"Very well. I like it a bit.." Their teacher said and opened the book "Let's start with something simple.. tell me the god, or a creature from mythology you like the most, and describe him a bit.. that will do"

Class nodded and quickly started to read. Keiko was painfully reading the history book, stopping near the gods appearing in the latin poems.

 _Five minutes later_

"Alright, let's start!" Tatsuya said and clapped with his hands "Let's start with.. you" he added, pointing at Kasai.

Kasai gulped "W-well.. I think that my favourite creature from the greek mythology is Argus"

"Let's hear about him" Suou said and let him continue.

"Argus was a giant who had fifty pairs of eyes" Kasai said "When Zeus had a romance with Io, Hera started to think that her husband may cheat on her. Zeus quickly transformed Io into a heifer, but Hera asked him to give her to her as a gift. Zeus agreeded, and Argus was the one that was watching over Io. To get her back, Zeus sent Hermes, who used his flute to force Argus to sleep, making Hermes able to get Io back"

"Very nice!" Tatsuya clapped with his hands "Let's say.. what's your name?"

"K-Keiko Nasura" dark-haired girl anwsered.

"Have you made your choice? Who do you like the mo-"

"It will be Morpheus" Keiko answered, and didn't even wait for Tatsuya to let her talk "Morpheus was the son of Hypnos, god of sleep, so his son became a god of dreams. Morpheus was able to disguise as anyone, and in the sleep he was always visible as the one you love"

"Or rather, _Chinyan_ " Tatsuya said and smiled. The others looked at him with raised eyebrows "It's from Cantonese, and it means _lover,_ or _darling_. Very good job, Nasura"

"Yessir" Keiko answered and sat down. "Sir.. can I have a question?"

"Of course!" Tatsuya answered "That's what I'm here for, at least"

"Who is your favourite greek god?"

"This is rather easy" The teacher said and smiled again "It will be Apollo.. the god of art, but soon her overshadowed Helios, becoming also a god of rising sun. He was also known for giving Orpheus a small golden lyre, which he quickly mastered"

Keiko nodded, and started to listen to him again.

 _After the lessons_

"Alright, can we go?" Kasai asked.

"Let's take Kou first" Keiko muttered and walked through the corridor "He's attending..?"

"1-F" Kasai answered and moved with her and Mayumi "Let's hope nothing bad happe-"

They stopped when they noticed a bunch of juniors standing around a kneeling person, who seemed to be bullied.

"What will you say now, new kid?"

"Yeah, eat it!" bully said and kicked him into the face. The junior fell onto the ground, and Keiko noticed a bit of a brown shining hair.

"KOU!"

"Wha-" Before one of the bullies ended, he got pushed away as Keiko punched him with full force using her mechanical forearm. Hard metal hit his jaw, causing the bully to fell onto the wall.

"N-Nasura-san..?" Kou muttered and wiped his nose, which seemed to be covered in blood.

"What do you want, chick?" Someone said "We're just having fu-"

"Fun?!" She yelled and bursted him into the wall. Another bully felt the tough metal of her forearm, and Kasai with Mayumi could only hope they won't hear bone-breaking sound.

"This kid here.." Keiko said as she helped Kou to stand up "..despite his surname, is my brother, and you can see what happened to the ones who bullied him" she added, and saw bullies shaking, mostly from fear as they never saw a female student being so strong.

"S-sure, Miss"

"..take it as an advise" Keiko said "Now go before I'll change my mind about you"

"Y-yes ma'am!" They yelled and quickly ran away.

"I.. never thought she can be that pissed off" Mayumi said and walked to her.

"Who were these guys?" Keiko said, and took a handkerchief only to wipe Kou's nose.

"My.. classmates.."

Keiko sighed "Imbeciles.. attacking my brother.." she said "..they broke your nose"

"I-It's nothing bad, Nasura-san" Kou said "I-I'm sure you and your friends have to do something.. I'll see you tomo-"

"No way" Keiko said "I'm not going to allow you meet this guys again today.. come with us"

"C-can I..?" He asked, shocked a bit.

"Why wouldn't you?" She giggled.

"Yeah, man" Kasai said and rubbed his shoulder "Also, you can stay at my home during school until your entrance exam"

"R-really, guys?!" Kou said and then smiled weakly "T-thank you.. thank you all"


	15. Chapter 15: Time to arm up

"Come on" Keiko said.

"Actually, Keiko.." Kasai started.

"Yes?"

"How do you know Suou-san? You said something abo-"

"One time Maya was talking about her childhood friends, and she said that Tatsuya was one of the kids that were playing near a shrine. Well, she became their bigger sister"

"How old is Maya?"

"Something like.. I think she's in her forties" Keiko answered, and sighed. She looked at Kou "Everything's alright? Any bruises?"

"N-no, Nasura-san" Kou said, following the group.

"Your nose.."

"I-It's okay, I can say" Brown-haired boy said quickly "Where are we going now?"

"First stop.." Mayumi said "..the blacksmith"

"Why do you want to go to blacksmith?" Kou asked, holding his nose.

"Would be good for you.. you don't have a Persona, but fighting shadows seems fine, yea?"

"W-well.. they started to attack me after all.." he muttered.

"H-hold a phone" Kasai said "They _started_? You mean that they weren't attacking you before?"

"Yeah..?" Kou answered "Before all this, they were just acting like I wasn't existing"

"That's strange" Keiko said "Kasai, Mayumi.. I think that is why Kou can interact with our world"

"You mean that he became a.. _true_ human?"

"Maybe" Keiko said "Don't want to call him _true_ or _not true_ , but after he became a target, he also became able to appear in our world normally"

"Alright, alright!" Kasai said "Say.. which weapons are you going to take?"

Keiko started to hum. Which melee weapon would be light enough to being carried by her, but also heavy enough to defeat even the stronger shadows?

"I think I'm going with.. a rapier!" Mayumi yelled, and jumped.

"Calm down there" Kasai said and chuckled "At least I would like to know do you even know how to use a rapier?"

"For sure!" she answered "I was in a fencing club before"

"What about you, Kasai?" Keiko said, adjusting her right sleeve. Frizzy-haired boy started to hum.

"I don't know.." He muttered "A sword or something like that"

" _If it fits me, then it has to fit you_ "

"I know, I know.." Kasai answered.

"Who are you talking to know?" Mayumi said, raising her eyebrows.

"To our Personas" Keiko said quickly, and started to think too "Do I really have to take a melee weapon?"

"What do you mean?" Kasai asked.

"Mayumi-san, you said something about airsoft guns" She said. Although she knew that airsoft weapon won't do much, or even any, harm, Keiko still wanted to at least check it out.

"Alright.." Mayumi said "..follow me, guys"

 _15:14_

 _Harazuki's Metalworks_

"Oh dude.." Kou said "..there's so much of these things.."

"Didn't I tell you that we're heading to the blacksmith?" Mayumi said "Of course there will be so much of weapons here!"

Everyone moved forward, only to see a rather old man. He was wearing a dark turtleneck and brown pants. He had a short grey beard and chin-length grey hair.

"Oyawa!" He said when he noticed Mayumi "Fencing club needs another ra-"

"Not this time, Mister" Mayumi said and pointed at her friends "These guys need some replicas"

"They do?" He asked and laughed "Alright, but why?"

Mayumi was surprised and wasn't able to say anything.

"F-for history club, Sir" Keiko saved them all "We'll need the most accurate replicas"

"Hmm.." old man started to hum "Alright. Which replicas do you exactly want?"

"Well-made Katana" Kasai said.

"It's going to be expe-"

"Money isn't the problem, Sir" Kasai gave him a smirk, before opening his wallet.

Everyone tried not to gasp as Kasai's wallet was noticeably overloaded with ten thousand yen banknotes.

"You robbed a bank or something..?" Mayumi said, and everyone raised their eyebrows.

"Of course not" He said and chuckled "It's from the bets"

"Bets? Are yo-" Keiko wanted to say but dark-haired boy stopped her.

"I started to make bets with people _who will eat more_. Well, I won't probably make my life just by eating Yumebowls everyday, bu-"

"It's ready!" They suddenly heard.

"Wait, did he just finish making that kata-"

"Fresh replica, still a bit hot so I suggest you hide it in thick leather bag or something" Old man said, giving him a sword. The weapon was made of grey shining metal, and had a brown leather hilt.

Kasai touched the metal. "Wow.. it's warm, but doesn't hurt. Mayumi, wanna touch it?"

"Dude, it's so big!"

Everyone turned to Kou.

"C-c-can we speed things up? I-I don't think I'll get any more second of it" Keiko said.

"That's what she sai-" Mayumi tried to joke.

"I know. Quit cracking jokes if they're chestnuts" Keiko said "Now I have to buy something"

"How much will it be, Mister?" Kasai asked.

"12 thousand yen and we're done, kid" Blacksmith said. Kasai nodded and without saying anything, he gave him two 10 thousand yen banknotes, only to receive the change.

"Alright.." he said "What about rest of you, kids?"

"Hmm.." Keiko started to hum. Suddenly, Kou jumped and moved forward.

"Something.. something.." He seemed to had an idea, but it suddenly disappeared.

Keiko started to look at her brother. Kou haven't awakened to a Persona, meaning that he would be defenseless against shadows. He needed something to keep enemies away from him.

"Kou.. Suou-sensei said that you should take a spear.."

"Suou-sensei?" Kou said "Who's tha-"

He stopped when Keiko jostled him with her elbow.

"O-ouch!" Kou said, but then something clicked in his mind "Y-yeah, I want to buy a s-spear, Sir"

"Alright. Shouldn't be as expensive as Katana.."

Everyone looked at Kasai, who had _guess who's the richman, bitches_ written all over his face.

"Doesn't matter.. I'll pay for it" Kasai said.

"Mayumi-san" Keiko said "I guess you're taking your rapier, right?"

"Yeah, I'm taking it" brown-haired girl answered "What about you, Kei-chan?"

"If I would know.. another rapier would be good, but I don't want to copy your fightstyle or something like this.."

"I told you, let's go to airso-"

"Hush!" Kasai said. Why teenagers would need airsoft guns for a history club?

"Let's check it later.. I know a good shop for a stuff like this" Mayumi said.

"How did you know it?" Keiko raised her eyebrows.

"My cousin is a maniac about all these replicas.. though I'm not interested in guns, you may find something there"

" _Why everyone has a cousin that is special about something?_ " Keiko thought. Despite Kou, Tadao and maybe even Kega.. was anyone from her family still alive?

"Done!" Blacksmith said and gave him a long wooden rod, ended with a sharp metallic blade "8 thousand yen, kiddo"

"Take it" Kasai said, giving him four two thousand yen banknotes.

 _15:50_

"Hope no one will see them.." Kou muttered.

"It will be alright" Mayumi said, packing the weapons into a leather bag "At least they're secured.."

"Okay, Mayumi.. where is that Airsoft Shop?" Keiko asked, feeling rather impatient.

"Oh, just around this corner" Mayumi turned right, showing a big building.

The walls were yellow, a large windows were in front of the shop with big posters with replicas' photos on it. Just below, there was a gallery where the models were able to be seen by customers.

"Time to arm up Kei-chan" Girl with green tie said.

"This is going to take a looong time.." Keiko commented and sighed.

Then everyone heard a rather loud grumble.

"Who did it?" Kasai asked. Then he looked at Kou.

"S-sorry" he said.

"You're hungry?" Kasai chuckled and looked at Keiko "I think I'll have to show him the Oishi.. will you be alright?"

"Yeah" Mayumi said and smiled. Keiko also nodded.

"Come on, man" Kasai pointed at Kou and lead the way "Only Oba-chan's food ain't worse than Oishi"

 _16:09_

 _Oishi Restaurant_

"DAMN-"

"Finished" Kasai said, giving the bowl to the chief. Dark-haired student sat in front of Kou, who was slowly eating his ramen.

"So you're the brother of Keiko, right?" He asked.

"Y-yes.. why are you asking? I think it's.. obvious"

"Normally brothers do not came out of sisters' rooms" Kasai joked and paid the bill.

"G-guess you're right" Kou answered "Still.. I'm trying to think why I was there. Someone trapped me?"

"You think I know?" he said "Whatever the reason is, guess Keiko likes you"

Kou gulped "Y-you think so?"

"Don't tell me you didn't realise!" Kasai chuckled again "Listen, maybe I know her for a short time, but until she saw you being bullied, man.. I never saw her being so furious"

Kou just blushed, and continued on eating. He still couldn't believe the fact that his sister was treating him like a part of family.

"You see.." Kou said "Girls have that one look, and when you see it, you better know that you're screwed, or you just found your savior"

"Nasura-san is my savior..?"

"At least she wants to be, something like this" Kasai said "In anyway.. alright, I'll say it straight"

"Wha-"

"Which one's your type?" Kasai said bluntly, and gave him a smirk. Kou started to stutter like a broken DVD.

"U-Um.. well.." he started "P-promise you won't tell anyone!"

"Man, I won't" Kasai chuckled "Friendships are based on honesty, so guess who's your friend"

"Oh, right" brown-haired boy said "T-there is that one girl in my class.. uhh.. how do I put it.."

"Relax, man" dark-haired student said "Do you know something about her?"

"W-Well, one time I decided to follow her" Keiko's brother said, struggling "She stopped near the Waterfall and s-started to braid flowers into coronets"

"I never saw her, actually.." Kasai raised his eyebrows. He knew the town pretty well and was spending a lot of time near the Waterfall, so no doubt he would see that girl.

"I h-heard that she moved recently"

"Her name? Maybe I heard it somewhere before" Kasai asked.

"I never heard it.. sorry" Kou muttered and looked away "But.. she was looking so graceful while doing that"

"Guess you'll have to talk to her someday" Kasai said "Geez, how long will they stay the-"

"We're here!" They both heard. Kasai and Kou looked at Mayumi and Keiko who was near her.

"What did you ta-" Kou stopped when he saw what Keiko was holding.

In her hands, there was.. a pair of airsoft pistols.

"You decided to hold two pistols akimbo?!" Kasai said.

"Sorry, Kasai.." Keiko said and looked at the pair of tiny pistols.

"Dude, her left arm was weak like it was just a wooden stick!" Mayumi said "We were trying almost **everything** , and after few seconds of shooting her hand was looking like it's going to break soon"

"Y-yeah.." Keiko added "I had to take the most light weapons I could find.

"But airsoft..?" Kasai sighed "How are you going to kill shadows with it?"

"Hush!" Mayumi said. They were still in the restaurant.

They both left the building.

"Guess that's the only thing she can use for now" Mayumi said and patted her back.

" _You think you'll be able to protect your friends with these?_ "

" _Wendy, they were the only weapons I could hold without falling onto the ground.. everything else was too heavy_ "

" _It's not that I'm laughing. Remember that whenever you'll feel unable to fight with these, I'm here with you_ "

" _I know. Still.. thanks_ "

" _You're welcome_ "

"Alright" Kasai said "Now that the team is armed up, I think we should call it a day"

"Hm?" Mayumi said "Why? Someone's dreams can be attacked right now!"

"Mayumi, whoever's dreams are in danger, we can at least see if the victim's dreams are in danger" Kasai said "Before he died, Rouno had problems with sleep. We also had them before Keiko dragged us to the Waterfall and rescued our dreams"

"Well.." Mayumi said "Guess you're true. But we'll have to talk about this tomorro-"

She stopped when she felt another wave of sharp pain.

"What is it?" Keiko said, rubbing her forehead.

"N-no, it's alright.." she answered "See you tomorrow..!" she added, and went away.

"Strange" Keiko said "Nevermind then.. see you tomorrow too, Kou and Kasai"

"Goodbye, N-Nasura-san"

"See ya" Kasai said, and watched Keiko go away.

He already started to go back to home as well, until he saw Kou looking away.

"Something happened, man?" he asked.

"N-no" Kou said "I-I think I have to check one place"

"Huh? Why?"

"I-I just need to be alone for a while bro.. I'll come back for sure"

"Alright..?" Kasai said and sighed "Just don't be late"

"S-sure" Keiko's brother answered and went different way.

 _17:12_

 _The Waterfall_

Kou slowly hid behind the tree, watching the Waterfall not that far from it. " _She should be there.. any second now.._ " he thought to himself.

Then, he noticed her.

A rather short girl suddenly went to the park. She was walking slowly, making Kou easily see her medium-length brown hair tied into one short tail. Instead of Yumeto High's jacket she was wearing a cardigan in the color of raspberry. Kou noticed her weak smile, making him blush deeply despite the fact that she wasn't even looking at him.

The girl moved closer to the left side of the Waterfall, where the flowers were. She kneeled down only to take few daisies. Kou was watching her trying to note every second of this moment in his mind.

Brown-haired woman turned around to take more daisies, showing her small brown shining eyes. Kou could only feel like his heart is about to explode.

After a while, the girl started to braid the daisies into a simple coronet. Despite it looking rather beautiful, brown-haired girl just left it on the ground, and went away.

Almost having a heart attack or feeling like taking a good drug, Kou took a deep breath and returned home.


	16. Chapter 16: The contract

**Chapter 16**

 _17:43_

 _Kasai's house_

Kou opened the door, still his hand lying on the chest like he was trying to calm his heart down. "K-Kasai..?" he said, breathing heavily "I-I'm back..!"

"You don't have to ye-"

Kou looked at the stairs only to notice Kasai who was slowly walking down them. When dark-haired boy noticed how Kou was looking, he wasn't even sure should he start to chuckle or call an ambulance.

"Dude?!" Kasai said "Y-you have a heart attack? You're sweating bullets!"

Kou took a deep breath.

"N-no, man.. I just.. had to run"

"Run? What, you were escaping from these bullies?" The Hermit said.

At first Kou wanted to nod, only to imagine a rather bad version of consequences.

 _Kou's imagination_

 _Yumeto High School_

"YOU SAID YOU WERE TRYING TO CATCH HIM?!" Kasai and Kou heard a loud noise.

"N-no, Miss, w-we were ju-"

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SIGHT!" they heard that voice again. Kasai and Kou turned right, only to see Keiko slowly beating one of the boys to death. Another bodies were lying nearby.

"N-Nasura-san?!"

"Oh, hey Kou!" Keiko said and threw the half-dead bully away "You're safe now!"

 _Real World_

"I.. I didn't want to be late, alright?!" Kou yelled like he has been attacked.

Kasai raised his eyebrows.

"Chill out man, it's okay" he said "Oba-chan's is not home, she has a meeting with her friends"

Kou nodded nervously "S-sure thing. Oba-chan's nice person"

"The best I ever know" Kasai said.

 _Keiko's house_

"Are you sure he won't find them?" Keiko asked, locking the shelf.

" _Your father doesn't seem to want to check your room"_

Wendy suddenly appeared from behind. Despite her eyes being just a pair of blue buttons, Keiko could still notice her curiosity, even if she could do that because of Wendy being her other self.

"We shall see" Keiko said and stood up "I just hope that these toys will do any damage to Shadows"

" _Remember tha-"_

"Wendy dear, I don't know how I can thank you for your will to fight for me if necessary, but you have to understand that your energy.. is my energy"

" _Do you mean that..?"_

"Using you drains me" Keiko said. Thinking that her Persona might got sad by these words, the Fool patted her shoulder despite the fact that in real world, Wendy seemed to be 6 or even 7 feet tall. "Remember that powerful weapons require lots of energy"

" _My other self.."_ Wendy looked down " _..I'll never leave you"_

"Me as well, Wendy, me as well" Keiko said and moved away.

Her interest has been caught up by an old personal computer. It had an ugly yellow case, mostly because it was white but was exposed to sun.

The Fool turned to the PC and turned the switch on. She did the same with the monitor, and then connected USB keyboard and mouse.

" _I see.. so this is a computer"_

Keiko just chuckled "I didn't have much times when I could use them, anyway. Even when Maya gave me one I was using it just to show her that I'm thanking her for the present"

Girl with artificial forearm pressed the power button, only to see a large _Windows XP_ logo on the screen.

"Guess it's really old.."

Much to her surprise, after the loading ended, instead of login screen the system asked her to choose her name and password, meaning that the system had to be new or someone decided to reset the settings.

" _Keiko Nasura.. dontseemyarm.."_ Keiko was typing slowly "Done"

" _Password? Aren't you afraid that someone may listening to us right know?"_ Wendy said.

"Who would even do that?" Keiko said, turning the _**Internet Explorer**_ on.

 _April 16th_

 _8:04_

 _Yumeto High_

"Nakrato!" The teacher said.

"Present!"

"Oyawa!"

The deep silence was the answer the teacher met.

"Oyawa?"

Kasai and Keiko also started to look around nervously. Something happened to Mayumi?

"I'll type _absent_ " he said and stood up "Alright, class! Seems like we're about to end Ancient Greece, and move to the Middle Ages!"

Keiko wasn't interested in that, as she just looked around. Kasai didn't seem interested either, as he was looking staring at the sky through the window.

"Let's start by asking you things that normally you kids wouldn't know!" brown-haired teacher said. He looked around the class, only to see two students not paying attention. One of them having black straight hair, and the other one having dark frizzy hair.

"Nasura, Lakura!"

"Argh!"

*CRASH*

Keiko turned left, only to see her classmate lying on the ground. Like with Rouno, Kasai lost balance when Suou quickly ordered him to listen.

"Pay attention, because I'm going to put this question on exam, Lakura!" Suou said "Tell me.. during the Middle Ages, fortune reading was very popular. One of the methods being reading Tarot Cards. Lakura, tell me something about.."

" _How in the world would I be able to answer that?!"_ Kasai thought to himself.

"..the 9th Arcanum"

Kasai took a sigh of relief. Hopefully Hermit knew everything about the Hermit.

"Well.." he said and stood up, much to Suou's surprise "Portrayed as an old man in a dark place or cave, holding up a lantern, the Hermit is associated with wisdom, introspection, solitude, retreat and philosophical searches"

Suou raised his eyebrows. He clapped with his hands "I'm surprised, Lakura. Seems that you were learning before, weren't you?"

"O-of course sir" Kasai said and sat down "I feel like I'm going to melt from nervousness.." he muttered.

"Well then, now it should be Ms. Nasura!" The teacher said and chuckled "Though I think that simply asking you about what specific Arcanum means would be too easy.. tell me, which Arcanum do you think you are?"

Keiko started to hum, only to give a quick answer.

"I am the Fool, sir"

Whole class started to laugh.

"The Fool..? Quiet, class!" Suou said "Well, if you assume that you are one, you're either joking or you truly understand the meaning of number zero"

"The Fool's isn't foolish, but he may become foolish" Keiko said "Portrayed as a jester laughing very close to a cliff, accompanied with a dog at his heels. Fool doesn't have the number, being adressed as 0 or 22"

"And that's because.."

"Fool is nothing, but also can become everyone" Keiko said "Just like number zero, which is empty but also hold infinite possibilities. It is up to Fool's choice will he stop and rethink his actions, or not care and fall down the cliff"

"Very well, Nasura" Suou said "Now, let's move to something less.. ocult"

 _15:13_

"Really, where the hell is Mayumi?" Kasai said, checking his phone.

"I want to know as well.." Keiko added, taking her phone. For sure Mayumi would at least say that she's ill or something.

" _I can sense you're worried about her"_ Wendy said.

"Why wouldn't I?" Keiko sighed "I mean, she's my classmate, and I'm afraid that her dreams have been attacked again"

"If she was able to realise that her vision was just a dream, I think that it will be easier for her to yell _it's just a dream!_ " Kasai tried to call her on phone.

" _Line is busy.._ " he heard through the phone.

"Damnit" he said "Should we go to her ho-"

" _..everywhere did I belong to.."_

It was Keiko's phone.

"She just called you.." Kasai said and looked away.

"Yes?" Keiko answered "Mayumi, why you weren't in scho-"

"KEI-CHAN, HE-" she heard Mayumi's voice, but she seemed to be in pain "AAAAAARGH..!"

"Mayumi?! Mayumi!" Keiko said "W-what's happening?!"

"I-I just can't take it anymore..!" Mayumi yelled "Stop..! Please!"

"Hold on, Mayumi!" Keiko said "Stay strong, we're coming for you!"

"What happe-" Kasai said but he got pulled by Keiko.

"Come on, dimwit, we have to hurry!"

 _15:21_

 _Mayumi's house._

"Mayumi! Mayumi!" Keiko said, knocking. She seemed to still be in the house, but also being too weak to open the doors.

"Look!" Kasai said and pointed at the window near. It was opened.

"Right!" Keiko said. She was slim enough to fit, as she moved climbed and went through the window. "Mayumi! Where are you?!"

"Kei-chan..!" She heard from her room. Keiko quickly stood up and ran to the Magician's room.

Mayumi was sitting on the ground, kneeling. Her face was buried in her hands, and she was constantly crying.

Keiko didn't waste any second as she sat near her.

"Mayumi-san, what happened?" Keiko touched her shoulder. Then she also reminded herself the moment Mayumi felt sharp pain.

"T-that voice..!" Brown-haired student said "I-I just can't take it..!"

" _Keiko.._ "

" _Wendy, for crying out loud, we have a real problem here!"_ Keiko thought to herself, answering her other self.

" _I know!"_ Wendy said " _But there' s something strange!"_

" _What do you mean?!"_

" _I can.._ _ **sense another Persona**_ "

" _W-what?!"_ Keiko thought " _Isn't it Zatoichi?!"_

" _I'm sure"_ Wendy stated " _Whatever this Persona is, it's interacting with Mayumi"_

" _Persona interacting with Mayumi.."_ Keiko thought " _Personas are your other selves, you are them and they are you.. I know!"_

"Mayumi-san! You mustn't resist!"

"P-please, stop..! It hurts..!" she yelled.

"It'll stop, just please listen to me!" Keiko said and lifted her face. Mayumi looked at her with eyes which seemed to already create another Waterfall made from tears.

"Repeat after me, but don't think about me while doing it" Keiko said.

Mayumi nodded, still shaking from pain.

"I am you, and you are me" Keiko said.

"I.. I am.. I am you.." Mayumi said "a-and.. y-you are me"

"Persona, whoever you are, please, come here and fight side by side with me"

"P-Persona.. w-w-whoever you are.. come here.. and.. fight side by side.. with me"

" _Keiko, look!"_ Wendy said. The Fool looked at Mayumi, only to notice another creature.

It appeared only for second, but seemed to look like a half-human, half-bird, having brown fur or feathers. After a while, it disappeared completely.

As well as Mayumi's pain.

"K-Keiko.. it.. my pain.. it disappeared..!" Mayumi said.

"Mayumi-san.." Keiko said and hugged her friendly "You simply can't agree with your other self.. your Persona wants to help you, but you reject her offer"

"Me.. reject..?"

"Persona is the ability to draw your heart and manifest it" Keiko said "I already figured that.. me and Kasai were able to call to our Personas.. if you want to do the same, do not resist your Persona's will to help you"

Mayumi slowly stood up "K-Keiko.. I.. thank you.." she said, before kneeling down, tired.

" _Looks like it was draining her for a quite some time.."_ Wendy said.

"We should let her rest" Keiko said, and placed Mayumi on the bed. "Her parents should be there soon.."


	17. Chapter 17: The Crush

**_Chapter 17_**

" _I'm here"_

At first Mayumi already grabbed her head, thinking that the wave of pain will start again.

" _So you're.."_ Mayumi thought " _..my Persona?"_

" _I am the other you, who exists within.. I finally see that thy thoughts of me not being you hath finally went away.."_

" _I do not reject you"_ Mayumi said " _Or your help.. I wanted you to go away because of the pain"_

" _It's very hard when you're connecting with your other self for the first time"_ she heard. The owner of the voice had to be a woman, but somehow she was sounding like a teenager trying to be serious.

" _I see.."_ Mayumi answered in thoughts " _Whoever you are.. stay by my side"_

" _I shall do so"_ brown-haired student heard " _You were indeed teaching your friend, but in the end she saved you"_

" _You mean Kei-chan..?"_

" _That is the fate of the Magician"_ her other self said, and after that went silent.

" _I should probably leave her.."_ Keiko thought to herself, and left the house through the window.

"And?" Kasai asked, while chewing the bubblegum. He coughed, and then spit it onto the ground "Bleugh.."

"She has trouble with controlling her Persona" Keiko said.

Kasai raised his eyebrows.

"She has a Persona? And problems with controlling it?"

"Yes" Keiko answered "The pain is caused because her other self tries to speak to her, but she rejects it. But now I guess it's fine"

"You think we can leave her normally?" dark-haired boy wanted to be sure "I mean, won't she get that headache again?"

Before moving away, Keiko turned around to him.

"I don't think so" she said and adjusted her sleeve "Her Persona is probably talking to her, and I'm sure that she's not rejecting it anymore"

"Are you sure about that?" Kasai said, unsure "What would they talk about, anyway?"

 _Meanwhile_

"Which one would be better?" Mayumi said.

" _I do not wear these type of things"_ she heard " _But the blue one seems to look better"_

"I prefer green.." Mayumi said "Ugh, I can't decide"

 _Keiko & Kasai P.O.V_

"Let's head back" Kasai said.

"Wait a second.." Keiko muttered "Where's Kou?"

"You forgot? I let him stay in my house and learn before he'll have to write the entrance exam"

"Why won't we visit him?" Keiko said "You know.. he's my brother"

"Oh, sure" Kasai said "Oba-chan would be happy to see another visitor, especially the girl"

"Oba-chan?"

"My grandma" Kasai said and licked his lips "When you'll taste her cooking, you won't go back home for a few weeks or so"

"Tadao wouldn't be happy" she joked "Well, let's go"

They had to go through the Yumeto's Park. Sadly for them, they didn't notice brown-haired student hiding behind a tree.

 _Kasai's house_

"Looks.. cozy" Keiko said.

"Let me open the doors.. Oba-chan likes to close them so I'm using my keys a lot of times" Kasai muttered and walked to the doors.

The living room was pretty big, almost similar to Keiko's house, but she could easily notice that whoever was living here, this person had to be old, judging by stack of newspapers opened at the page with crosswords, a sensitive smell of tea without sugar and old paintings on the wall.

"Oba-chan, I'm home!" Kasai said, and looked around.

"Kasai-kun, dear.." they heard a feminine voice from above. Keiko looked at the stairs, only to see an old woman going down them.

She had curly gray hair and green eyes. Her face was full of wrinkles, and her skin on arms was also wrinkled. The woman was wearing a dark blue dress, sleeves reaching her elbows. Old woman also seemed to be stooping, but she had a smile on her face.

"You don't have to be so lo-" The woman stopped when she noticed a middle-height dark-haired girl near Kasai.

"Oba-chan, this is Keiko Nasura" Kasai said. The woman quickly moved to Keiko.

The Fool quickly gave her a hand.

"I'm Keiko Nasura.. it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss" she said, trying to act calm.

The woman quickly shook her hand and chuckled.

"No need to be that formal, my dear. I'm Midori Hatchi, and as Kasai-kun told me, you're his classmate"

"What you're saying is right, Hatchi-san" Keiko answered "Thank you very much for allowing Kou to stay"

"It's no problem, my dear.." old woman said and smiled "Kou-chan, although a bit shy, is a good boy"

"That being said.." Keiko said and smiled "Can I please talk to him? He's my bro-"

"Oh, Kou-chan isn't here, dear" Hatchi said "Just like ten minutes ago he said that he's going for a walk near the park"

"Near the park?" Keiko raised her eyebrows. Was her brother trying to enter the Waterfall..?!

Kasai already started to chuckle "Guess we'll have to go there, Keiko"

"T-thanks for this information, Hatchi-san" Keiko said and left the house with Kasai "W-why are you chuckling?! He may be entering the Waterfall right no-"

"I think there was a better reason why he would go there" Kasai said and moved forward "Come on, I'll show you something"

 _The Waterfall_

 _4:13 P.M_

"What is it..?" Keiko said, being dragged by Kasai.

"I think I know where Kou i-"

"HEY!" She yelled and quickly moved back.

Kasai raised his eyebrows.

"What happened?"

"M-my sleeve" Keiko said and adjusted her sleeve, making sure no one will see her forearm.

"Geez, you're so worried about that. Let's go" The Hermit said and lead the way.

"Ugh.." Keiko groaned, and eventually followed him.

 _Few minutes later_

"So, where is h-"

Keiko's mouth has been covered with Kasai's skinny hand.

"Hush..!" He whispered, and dragged her into a bush.

Keiko only looked around, worried that someone might saw them.

"Look over there" Kasai said and pointed at the tree that was like ten meters away from them.

"It's.. just a tree" Keiko raised her eyebrows.

" _Just_ a tree?"

"You'll see" Kasai said and pointed at the Waterfall "Now, look there"

Keiko nodded and focused on the streams of water, only to soon see a short girl wearing a cardigan in the color of raspberry.

Girl kneeled down near the Waterfall, staring into the water.

"Yeah, a girl? But what does it have to do with Kou..?"

"Look at the tree again"

"Alri-"

Keiko ended and almost gasped when she saw Kou, slowly moving to the tree and hiding behind it.

"Is he pervert or something?" Keiko said, at first thinking that her brother was doing that when seeing every woman entering the park.

"I don't think so.." Kasai chuckled quietly "Alright, I shouldn't break men's rules, but it seems that Kou has a.. crush on her"

"Crush?" Keiko shook her head "Oh, Kou, what are you doing now..?"

After a few minutes, girl finally stood up, only to move away. Kou sighed and while shaking his head, moved away from the tree as well.

"Should we go after him?" Kasai suggested.

"Hmm.." Keiko started to hum "..wait until he'll go away and catch him, don't say anything about what we saw"

"And you are going..?"

"I'm going to have a talk with that girl"

"Are you serious..?!" Kasai raised his eyebrows, shocked "What, are you just trying to tell her _hey, my brother is stalking you_?"

"Of course not..!" Keiko blushed deeply "She has Yumeto High's logo, so.. does it mean that he met her in school?"

"I guess so" Kasai answered "Alright, he's not looking at us, go..!"

Keiko nodded and quickly went out, only to hide behind a wall that was near. Then, she moved left so Kou won't see her. Staying close to the left side of the park, she eventually reached the exit.

She looked around, only to notice brown-haired girl slowly moving towards the gate, as she was about to left the park. Before she did that, Keiko placed her right arm on her shoulder.

Not only the quiet shriek could be heard. Keiko felt that the girl is shaking like someone had just thrown a bucket of cold water onto her, as the girl's shoulder got touched by a cold metal.

Girl quickly turned around "H-huh..?!"

At first few moments, Keiko didn't know what she should say now, as both of them were staring at each other.

"..are you from Yumeto High?" Keiko asked after few seconds of raw silence.

"Y-yes.." girl muttered, still shaking a bit.

"In which class are you?" Keiko asked, trying to at least look like she's calm.

"I'm.. in 1-F"

" _That's Kou's class.."_ Keiko thought to herself.

"Oh, really?" she said "Then.. you must know Kou Machita"

When the girl heard _Kou_ , she just raised her eyebrows, but after hearing his surname, her face went pale.

"W-W-Wait.." girl muttered "A-are y-you..?"

"Oh, I haven't introduced myself" Keiko said and gave her right hand, not worrying that the student would notice that her forearm is artificial "I'm Keiko Nasura, class 2-D"

"N-N-Nasura..?!" girl went even more pale, like she just heard a name of not a student but a bully. Girl in a cardigan moved back "N-Nasura-san, I-I didn't do anything to Kou-san..!"

"Huh..?" Keiko muttered, and then started to slowly remind herself that moment when she saw her brother being bullied.

"I-I don't hate K-Kou! H-he's even a good guy.. only t-those guys were hating h-him!" girl said, and moved back again.

"Woah, it's okay" Keiko said, but already noticed that the girl is about to run away.

"I-I'm sorry.. I.. I have a dinner now, b-bye!" girl said and started to run towards the exit.

"Wait!" Keiko said but sadly, the girl was slowly going through the gate " _Damnit..!"_

" _Did you forget about me?"_

Just as Keiko heard Wendy's voice, she noticed that when the girl was between two walls, suddenly a robotic leg slid out of the corner. As the girl didn't notice it, she tripped and fell onto the ground.

"W-what the..?" Keiko muttered and ran forward. She moved closer to the lying student and the robotic leg.

Suddenly, the owner of the limb came out. It was Wendy.

Despite the heavy situation, The Fool was calm enough to talk to her Persona in her mind, not by speaking normally.

" _WENDY?! What the hell did you just do?"_

" _You wanted to stop her, don't you?"_ Wendy answered, a small grin appeared on her face.

" _Great.. now the only thing we need is an injured crush"_

Keiko sighed and moved to the girl.

"Tell me that you're alright.. please.." she said, kneeling down near her.

"Ugh.. who did that..?" Girl said and tried to stood up.

"Umm.." Keiko said and blushed while looking at her other self.

"I-I didn't do anything to Kou.. really, Nasura-san.."

"It's.. not about him being bullied"

"It's not..?" girl sat on the bench, being helped by Keiko "S-so.. what's about him then?"

"Tell me the truth" Keiko said "Why were they bullying him?"

"I.. guess that was about him looking childish" she said "Really.. I was actually never interested what's about him, and after I heard what you did.. ugh.." girl started to struggle, worried about Keiko's reaction.

"It's alright" Keiko said, but she also turned red a bit "I'm just worried about him.. Kou seems to be.. a bit too shy" she said.

"Actually.." Keiko heard "..where's Kou? Did he.. transfer?"

"Of course not!" Keiko chuckled "Well.. after these guys decided to beat him up, he decided to stay at home and learn to the entrance exam"

"Thanks.. that explains a lot" girl said "Y-you know.."

Keiko raised her eyebrows "Something happened?"

"I.. I can always help him study, if he has any problems" Girl said, blushing deeply.

"It would be great" Keiko said "But.. I think that Kou has to rest a bit from his classroom.. but you know? I'll tell you when he'll be about to pass the exam and attend the lessons again"

"Really?" girl said and took her phone out "Your.. your number, please?"

Keiko nodded, and took her phone out too. They both exchanged their phone numbers.

The Fool looked at her when she had to write her name.

"That reminds me.. what's your name?"

Girl went pale "O-oh, my manners, I haven't introduced myself" girl said "I'm D-Dojima.. **Nanako Dojima** "

"Very well then, Nanako-san" Keiko said and pressed _save_ on her phone "I'll tell you if Kou will be about to attend lessons again"

"Thank you, Nasura-san" Nanako said "But now, I think I have to go. See you in school tomorrow!"

She went away, this time without Wendy making her trip.

"Yeah.. see you too.."

Suddenly, another card appeared in front of Keiko. It was showing a woman, who was holding a sword, the blade pointed at the ground. In her other hand, she was holding a golden balance. The card had a roman number 8 under the picture.

 _I am thou, thou art I,_

 _Thou has gained a new power,_

 _With gaining the power of the another Arcana,_

 _Thou is taking a step forward in learning the art of recognition._

 _To thee I shall present, the Justice Arcana.._


End file.
